


Incubus

by Hangmans_Radio



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Explicit Sexual Content, Explicit Torture, M/M, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-14
Updated: 2014-09-25
Packaged: 2018-01-15 16:59:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 80,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1312384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hangmans_Radio/pseuds/Hangmans_Radio
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Frank and Gerard first meet at an AA meeting, where Frank is immediately seduced. In time he falls for Gerard more and more, but there's something strange about the man who never seems to feel anything but a constant need for sex.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. AA

**Author's Note:**

> Meep, so I've been on a mini hiatus and I think I'm in a good place to come off it now. I have just enough spare time to start managing a new fic and I really wanted to write something a bit more fun and ridiculous (though knowing me this will probably end up serious in the end).
> 
> This first instalment is just a quickie to set the scene if you will, and hopefully updates wont be slow. 
> 
> Also, thank you so much to my gorgeous friend Immy who is not only super fantastic, but also kindly agreed to beta this for me.
> 
> Xo

The first day they met, they fucked in Frank’s car.

It was April 9th 2007 and the weather was shitty. The pouring rain and blackened sky served only to make Frank’s already shitty day even shittier. In fact, the only thing that wasn’t shitty about it was the unexpected hook up with the good looking stranger from AA. 

It wasn’t Frank’s first AA meeting, but he wouldn’t consider himself a regular. He thought of that as a good thing; like, he didn’t need to go, but the meeting supervisor referred to it as _‘inconsistent,’_ which sounded altogether more negative. 

It _was_ the first time Frank had seen the stranger, though. 

AA meetings were so boring for the twenty six year old, that he had occupied himself in most of them by imagining nicknames for his fellow alcoholics. None of them had been blessed with anything complimentary and Frank definitely would have remembered if he had named one of them ‘the hot one’. 

When the stranger had first walked in Frank had looked up with minimal interest. The only reason he looked at all was because no one in the damn room was talking and he was beginning to fear that no one was actually alive anymore. You never could tell with recovering alcoholics like these. The more sober they became, the more their life seemed to trickle out of them. 

The stranger though was very much alive and the moment Frank’s eyes found him, he was mesmerised by the waves of charm he seemed to emit. 

The man was average height and his black hair and brown eyes were mostly average too. There was nothing about him that made him special, but for some reason Frank was transfixed by him. And it appeared he was not the only one. Every person the man passed on his graceful stroll to the empty seat opposite Frank, would look up with amazed eyes and parted lips as he brushed by, as if he cast a spell over anyone who came within six feet of him.

Frank couldn’t stop staring at the man, even though he probably looked like an idiot. He had never shown any interest in anyone else at these meetings before and he was certain it would get noticed if he started to focus on the new guy. But try as he might, he couldn’t turn his eyes away. 

Frank continued to stare at the stranger until finally Paul, the meetings supervisor, decided to grace the group with his presence. He bounded into the room all rainbows and sunshine as usual and took his seat at the head of the circle. 

“Afternoon guys! It’s great to see you all here again, and equally nice to see some new faces!” 

Pauls beaming face made Frank want to be sick, but it was enough to make him fold his arms and sink back into the shadow of his hood and stop gawping at the stranger opposite him. 

Paul looked about the circle, smiling cheerfully at everyone and judging their expressions before he began the session with the usual introductions. 

Frank had grown bored fairly quickly of introducing himself every week. He didn’t get the whole anonymous thing. Anonymous surely meant they didn’t even get the opportunity to choose whether they disclosed their names or not. Even if no one in the room told anyone their names outside of the meetings, that still didn’t make them anonymous. The group should really be called ‘Alcoholics Confidential,’ but Frank had never brought this up because no one liked a smart ass. And he didn’t care about people knowing his name anyway.

When it came to his turn, he grunted his name like he always did, as if anyone ever remembered it or cared. There were a few new members Frank hadn’t noticed before, but their names went in one ear and straight back out the other. There was only one name Frank was interested in.

When it finally got to the strangers turn Frank was all ears, though he tried not to look too interested as he stared at the handsome man from the shadow of his hood.

Unlike some of the other new people, the stranger had no hesitation in revealing his name and he looked dead at Frank as he smiled sweetly and spoke for the first time. 

“Hello. My name is Gerard. I’m an alcoholic.” 

Gerard. The name was so… ordinary. Frank had been expecting something erotic or unusual, but Gerard was just another boring New Jersey name. Just an average man, with an average name and an extraordinary smile. Frank couldn’t work out why he was feeling so attracted to him, maybe he simply hadn’t got laid in so long that even average Joe’s were making him sweat now. But then everyone else seemed so enchanted too. 

Gerard’s voice had sounded sexy to Frank, though he wasn’t sure whether that was because he was so turned on already. Either way he had made the statement about being an alcoholic sound so casual. Just a dirty secret aired out in public like it was nothing. Frank got the feeling this Gerard person could probably have sex in public and smile casually at passersby just as easily.

So taken by the stranger, Frank hadn’t noticed the introductions were continuing until Paul calling his name yanked his attention away from the brown eyes boring into his. He turned his head to glare at Paul, but blushed when he realised he was being spoken to and everyone was gazing at him.

“Frank, you seem a little distracted today.” Paul smiled at Frank, using the same tone that irritated the twenty six year old so much. It was a tone that said ‘it’s okay’, ‘don’t worry about it’, ‘we’re all in this together’. It was a false tone of positivity and acceptance and Frank hated it. 

“You haven’t been to a meeting in five weeks now. Why don’t you tell the group what you’ve been up to?” Paul suggested, still smiling eerily. 

“Uh…” Frank glanced at the stranger, still somewhat distracted by his eyes which hadn’t left his face since he had introduced himself. 

“I’ve been pretty busy,” Frank lied, trying to tear his eyes away from Gerard. “Working, ya know.” 

“And how’s that been going? You’re a mechanic right?” Paul asked for the benefit of the new people who hadn’t heard Frank’s incredibly boring life story yet. 

“Yeah, something like that.” Frank mumbled, finally managing to turn his gaze away from Gerard to look at Paul instead. “I’m mostly the bitch boy at the garage.” 

Gerard grinned at Frank’s choice of words and even chuckled aloud at some of the things he said. Frank tried to ignore him the whole time, but it was practically impossible. 

Paul grilled Frank with questions as he usually did, wanting to hear all about what he had been doing with work, what he did with his spare time and how his recovery was going. After every question Frank answered he would follow it up with his usual _‘So how do you feel about that?’_ and Frank would try not to get frustrated and tell him to go fuck himself. 

“And what you made come to today’s session Frank?” Paul still wasn’t done after nearly ten minutes and Frank sighed moodily, wondering why he had to be the one to get picked on.

“I dunno. It was raining. It was either come here or go somewhere and get wasted.” Frank shrugged and tried to sound nonchalant. He didn’t want to admit to anyone, not even himself, how badly he wanted to succeed at his recovery. Alcohol had nearly destroyed his life, but it still seemed wrong to say it. 

“Good. That’s good that you can admit that Frank.” Paul purred in a sickeningly soothing tone. “You can consider today another victory on your side, that you chose to come here and continue working towards an alcohol free lifestyle, rather than give up and relapse.”

“Uhuh” Frank muttered, huddling more inside his hoody with a scowl as Paul beamed at him.

“Can I get a round of applause for Frank?” He grinned, clapping his own hands enthusiastically. 

Frank scowled more as the circle all applauded him, even Gerard clapped, and the people on either side of him squeezed his shoulder and clapped him on the back. Mumbled words of praise met him from all directions and he rolled his eyes with a sigh. He felt awkward receiving words of congratulations from fellow fuck ups. 

Once the applause had finally died down Paul turned his attention on someone else and Frank was free to sit and scowl through another session, just like usual. 

Throughout the hour session Frank hoped that Paul would ask Gerard about himself. He was, after all, the only interesting person in the room. Paul alone seemed immune to the charm that Gerard was emitting. Frank kept glancing at the leader, expecting to see him gazing at Gerard with adoration just like everyone else but the man was oblivious. 

Frank expected Paul was just probably one of those boring men who wouldn’t feel lust even if it smacked him in the face. Not as in he was asexual, he was simply… oblivious. 

The hour dragged more than ever, Frank unable to do anything but stare longingly at Gerard. The man looked so ordinary… no matter how much Frank gawped at him he couldn’t work out what was so extraordinary about him. 

He was attractive, of course. But not in a spectacular way, just an everyday casual sort of way. He was just a good looking man who would look perfect with an equally attractive, equally average woman. And yet he _wasn’t_ average.

By the time the hour was finally up Frank had come to the conclusion that Gerard’s utter sexiness was caused less by his looks and more by something else. The way he moved and held himself, or perhaps it was something more primal than that. A hidden odour or some sort of chemical signal that made Frank’s hormones go berserk. 

The hour session was always followed up with a more casual ‘social hour,’ where the members of the group would all lurk at the back of the community hall and eat free donuts and drink coffee and pretend to care about each other’s days. 

This was usually the time that Frank hightailed it out of there, but when he saw Gerard making his way to the back he felt like he had no choice but to follow him. 

Frank was not a shy man. He had never been one to suffer social anxiety or anything close to it, but he still couldn’t bring himself to strike up conversation with Gerard. Instead he simply hovered in his general vicinity, pretending to be interested in the free beverages.

The coffee looked dull and like it hadn’t been brewed long enough but Frank still poured some into a mug, adding milk and sugar before casting an unimpressed eye over the dry donuts. He wasn’t sure his stomach could handle one and decided that the coffee would have to be enough. 

Moving away from the refreshment table Frank stood against the back wall and tried not to look too hopeful as he sipped at the coffee. It tasted as awful as it looked and Frank had to make an effort to swallow the liquid and not just spit it straight back into his cup. 

Stomach curdling, Frank was approached by one of the faceless newcomers whose name he had forgotten. Everyone was starting to mingle now, and Frank couldn’t help but stare hopefully at Gerard for a moment before reluctantly looking at the newbie trying to strike up conversation with him. 

“So, you’ve been in recovery for a while then?” The newbie was asking him, as if he was picking up a conversation he and Frank had already been having. 

Frank turned his eyes on the newbie, trying not to scowl and to appear friendly. As much as he didn’t want to be talking to the guy, he wasn’t so much of an asshole to be cruel to him. The guy looked terrified and Frank guessed it had taken him a lot of effort to pluck up the courage to approach him. 

Frank looked back at Gerard with one last glint of hope, but the stranger had been approached by one of the women of the group who was shamelessly flirting with him. 

Feeling irritated, Frank turned back to the newbie and made an attempt to converse with him. 

“I’ve only been t-total for a week.” The newbie was saying, his voice shaking slightly. “It’s been hell, but every day gets better than the last, right?” He chuckled nervously. 

“I wouldn’t know.” Frank shrugged, looking at the coffee in his mug and deciding he definitely wasn’t going to attempt another sip. 

“Oh… You… You’re not t-total?” The newbie sounded as if he was beginning to regret choosing Frank to converse with, but Frank really didn’t care. He felt irritated and was sulking over his lost chance to talk to Gerard. 

“Did I sound t-total to you?” He asked the newbie coldly, meeting his gaze for a moment. “Trust me man, if you live like I do you can’t cut out the booze completely. I mean, what else is there to do when your job is a joke, your family hate you and you’re sexually frustrated?” 

The newbie didn’t answer, instead he scuttled away as fast as he could, leaving Frank alone with his bitter coffee. 

Frank felt bad for a fleeting second; he guessed he probably shouldn’t have been so cruel to the poor guy. He didn’t usually act so mean to people, but he was like a petulant child who’d had his favourite toy taken from him and he didn’t want to talk to anyone. Instead, he cast one last desperate look at Gerard, who was smiling politely at the woman flirting with him, and decided he would just leave. 

Frank put his coffee down and strode out of the room with a sigh. He wasn’t even sure why he had decided to come to the meeting. He’d had some sort of feeling in his stomach that morning that he should go, and actually try to fix his mess of a life. But now he wished he’d ignored his stupid gut and just bought some beer instead. 

Frank strolled across the parking lot as fast he could, finding his car keys in his pocket and trying to find the actual key itself amidst the tangle of key rings. 

As he was strolling and jingling his keys he heard a footstep behind him. He cast an instinctive glance over his shoulder, not really paying attention, but he soon did a double take when he realised it was Gerard following him across the lot. 

Frank turned around and let his hands drop to his sides. He waited for Gerard to approach him, sensing that the man wanted to talk to him. He wasn’t sure how he knew it, but he just did. His heart was racing faster and faster the closer Gerard got, the taller man not stopping until he was barely a foot away from Frank. 

“Hey…” Frank tried to say, the word getting stuck in his throat and it sounded more like he was choking on something. Gerard didn’t seem to notice. 

“So,” He smiled a big smile at Frank that made the mechanic practically swoon. “You’re sexually frustrated?”

Frank choked on his intake of air, failing to gasp in astonishment at Gerard’s blunt question. He wondered fleetingly if he had misheard him, surely he hadn’t really just asked him _that_. 

“Uh…” Frank stared at Gerard like an idiot, trying to formulate an answer. Yes, he was sexually frustrated. He hadn’t intended for the entire world to know. He wondered if he should be angry at Gerard for asking him something so personal when they didn’t even know each other, but instead Frank just blushed and tried not to look too dumbfounded. 

“I heard you talking in there.” Gerard cocked his head back to the building they had just exited. “You’re gay, right?” 

Now that should have made Frank mad, he was sure of it. If anyone else had asked him that he was pretty certain he would have bitten their head off and demanded to know what it had to do with them since it was none of their damn business. He wasn’t exactly obviously gay either, not that there was such a thing. But Frank didn’t go around in sparkly clothes with rainbow patches, nor did he have ‘gay’ tattooed on his forehead, or anywhere else on his body for that matter. No one he worked with knew he was gay, nor did half of his friends, if you could call them that. Though… It wasn’t a secret either. 

“Well uh… I uh…” Gerard was smiling at Frank now, amused by how flustered he had become and Frank had to make a desperate attempt to start thinking straight again. 

“Yeah I am.” He finally managed to choke out, scowling at Gerard. “Not that it’s any of your business.” The words didn’t come out anywhere near as sharp as Frank had hoped they would, and Gerard simply grinned at him even more. 

“I thought as much.”

Frank watched with wide eyes as Gerard walked past him, still emitting that incredible charm that was making Frank’s mouth actually water. He turned slowly on the spot, watching Gerard glide past him and towards his car. Frank didn’t know how Gerard knew which car belonged to him, but somehow he did. 

“D’you wanna fuck?” Gerard was gliding his hand across the bonnet of Frank’s car and for a moment, he could have just been asking the beat up 1970 Chevelle that Frank owned. It was a beautiful car, even if it was a little rusty and dented here and there. It was Frank’s pride and joy and he sort of wouldn’t have been surprised if it _was_ the car Gerard was talking to. 

Gerard wasn’t talking to the Chevrolet though and when he turned dark, seductive eyes on Frank, that was made perfectly clear. 

“You… You mean me?” Frank couldn’t believe that a perfect stranger, a perfectly gorgeous stranger, would be propositioning him for sex when they had barely spoken two words to one another. 

Gerard made a show of looking about the parking lot, shrugging his shoulders when he turned back to Frank and cocked an eyebrow at him. “I don’t see anyone else around, do you?”

Frank opened his mouth for a second and then closed it again. He knew he should be disgusted that Gerard was asking him for sex, he should get angry even. It was ridiculous that he should think Frank was the type of man to have sex with strangers. And yet… Frank found himself nodding before he had even made up his mind to speak. 

“You got a place we can go?” Gerard asked, smirking softly at Frank’s clear bewilderment. “Or shall we just do it in the car?” He purred, actually _purred_ and Frank felt his knees go weak. 

“I… The car.” He blurted out. Somewhere in the back of his mind alarm bells were ringing, trying to warn him that this man could be dangerous and Frank didn’t want him to know where he lived. He wanted to fuck him though… God, did he want to fuck him. 

“Mm… I agree.” Gerard smirked, leaning against the car and gazing at Frank with his dazzling eyes. “It’s a sexy car.” 

Frank was pretty sure he had never had his car called sexy before. It had received some compliments, though usually he was just told off for not sorting out the rusty body or fixing any of the things broken in and on it. His car did look pretty sexy though… especially with Gerard leaning on it. 

After just staring at Gerard for a moment Frank finally realised he had to unlock the car in order to get the gorgeous man into it and he stumbled into action. 

Gerard watched with an amused sparkle in his eyes as Frank hurried to the car and jingled about with his keys before finally getting one into the lock on the car door. Neither man said anything as Frank unlocked the vehicle and swung open the driver side door. 

Gerard opened the passenger side and got into the seat, smirking as he slammed the door shut once he was settled. He looked at Frank, smirking at the expression on his face. The young man looked as though he wasn’t sure what was happening and whether he should just ask Gerard to leave instead. 

“Why don’t you park it just behind those trees there, so we won’t get seen?” Gerard reached out and touched Frank’s chin, pulling his face round to look at him and he let their gazes lock as his eyes smouldered. Any hesitancy Frank may have been feeling disappeared in a flash and Gerard could see the way his eyes misted over with a mindless fog. 

“Okay…” Frank whispered, putting the key into the ignition and starting the engine. He wanted to keep staring into Gerard’s eyes, which didn’t look so average anymore now they were close up. The dull brown Frank had originally believed them to be turned out to be myriad of different shades of chocolate and caramel, making him want to sink into them and drown in delight, but with a gentle push of Gerard’s fingers Frank was able to turn his head away and focus on driving the car across the lot to a small line of trees round the side of the building. 

Frank parked up behind the trees where they were less likely to be seen by everyone when they left the AA meeting. Frank turned off the engine and turned to look nervously at Gerard, not really sure what to do next. 

“So uh… I’ve never done anything like this before, maybe we should –” Whatever Frank had been planning to say next was cut off by Gerard seizing him by his shirt and dragging him across his seat and into a fiercely hot kiss. 

Frank had been wondering again what had brought him to this moment, and whether he should call an end to it before it began, but with the first touch of Gerard’s lips he promptly made up his mind. He _wanted_ Gerard, even if he didn’t know him. There was just something so incredibly seductive about him that made Frank grow dizzy and confused under his touch. 

There was little room in the car for even just kissing, let alone anything else. But Gerard’s hot mouth and exploring tongue had Frank so hot he was determined not to let lack of space stop them. 

Gerard was a fantastic kisser, but Frank didn’t feel much surprise at that. There was something unreal about Gerard, something odd in how easily he had seduced Frank with barely a few words, and not exactly very subtle words either. Frank hadn’t got laid in a long time, partly his own fault for being too picky and wanting a relationship before he had sex. He put that down for why he was suddenly tearing his clothes off with a stranger in his car. Apparently he had just got too frustrated, and had made an unconscious decision to live a little wild and have a bit of risky fun. 

The risky fun progressed with Frank leaning over the central reservation of the car, one knee on the floor beneath the steering wheel, and the other resting on his chair as he stretched awkwardly across to Gerard’s seat. He had pulled his cock out of his jeans and the rough denim was brushing against Frank’s chin as he bobbed his head over Gerard’s length, sucking eagerly at the tip with each sweep up. 

Frank happened to love sucking cock, and he prided himself on being good at it. Gerard though made no indication that he was enjoying himself; his breathing was normal, he made no sounds and the hand in Frank’s hair just laid there, neither pushing nor pulling. In fact, if it wasn’t for the intense throbbing of his shaft against Frank’s tongue, Frank would have believed Gerard wasn’t enjoying himself at all. 

Frank gave his all to try and make the experience good for Gerard, but he didn’t get to suck him long enough to so much as taste any pre cum before he was being pulled away by his hair and pushed back against the driver side door. 

Frank squeaked in surprise, but said nothing as Gerard lifted Frank’s legs and pushed until his knees were behind his ears. There was no talking, Gerard seemed to be quite the silent type and Frank didn’t want to embarrass himself by being too vocal so he bit his lip and tried to relax as Gerard hastily prepped him. 

The man had come prepared, with a travel packet of lube and a condom in his wallet. Frank wondered fleetingly how often Gerard did stuff like this, but the thought was pushed out of his mind when Gerard pushed into his ass. 

Frank couldn’t pretend it didn’t hurt, he hadn’t had sex in so long, and he didn’t bottom all that much when he did. The pain turned to pleasure surprisingly quickly though and even with all sorts of car parts digging into Frank’s back and arms he felt an orgasm approaching astonishingly fast. 

Gerard kept up a brutal pace, fucking Frank hard into the car door. Frank watched his face, and Gerard gazed right back at him. Shivers tingled down Frank’s spine and he could feel his cock twitching with each harsh thrust into him. All too soon he was screaming, cumming hard over his stomach and whimpering from the amazing pleasure that shot through him. 

Frank couldn’t remember the last time he had had an orgasm so good, or so quickly. It must have been because of how long it had been since his last lay, mingled in with the excitement of doing this with a stranger in his car in a public place. 

Gerard made no sign of achieving climax himself, he kept quiet throughout the whole thing. Frank assumed he must have done though, since he pulled out of him and swept down to lick the cum from his stomach. 

Frank shivered as Gerard licked over his skin, taking his time to make sure he didn’t miss a single drop before going on to gently suck on Frank’s tip, cleaning him completely of the evidence of his orgasm before leaning up and smirking at him as he licked his lips. 

“Mm… Thanks Frankie, that was fun.” He purred, tucking himself back into his jeans and doing them up. He left the car without another word whilst Frank was still struggling to sit up and find his clothes. 

“Oh uh – Wait, you just… I… Oh…” Frank blinked stupidly, staring at Gerard’s retreating figure through the rear window with a sinking feeling in his stomach. He wasn’t really sure how sex with strangers usually went but somehow it had ended more abruptly than he would have imagined. 

Shaking his head Frank moved to pull on his clothes, deciding to just forget the whole thing and put it down to a one off, temporary insanity on his part. He didn’t expect that he would ever see Gerard again.


	2. Oh you pretty things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I just realised I completely forgot to say that this is a chaptered fic... Woops.  
> Mistake now corrected, just to clarify (if it isn't already clear) this is actually a chaptered story and it is being continued... right now. Yay!

“Frank! You’re late again!” 

Frank stumbled as he slammed his car door shut, pushing his sunglasses up his nose as he turned groggily to face the garage owner striding towards him. 

“It’s half eleven already, you were supposed to be here at nine.” The aggression in Daryl’s voice was disappearing as he approached Frank, wiping his hands on an old rag to try and get the worst of the oil off. “I thought I told you you’d be fired the next time this happened.”

“Sorry man.” Frank slurred, trying to rub his eyes through his sunglasses and causing them to sit crooked on his nose. “I was just… Uh… Traffic was so bad and…” Frank stopped suddenly, a strange noise coming from his mouth which he had clamped shut and Daryl took a hasty step back in case the man was about to be sick. 

“Are you drunk?” Daryl demanded, planting his hands on his hips. “I swear to God Frank, if you’re drunk again…”

“No I… I’m not drunk.” Frank insisted, trying to sound convincing despite how badly he was slurring his words. 

The day was hot, stifling so. It was hard to believe that it had been raining for most of the week before. The ground was now bone dry and Frank had seen numerous girls walking in the shortest of shorts on his way to work. He put the heat down to why he was so late. He had struggled to sleep the night before and ended up passing out for just a couple of hours before his alarm went off. He had woke with the sun on his face and an agonizing head ache as a result.

He had needed something to drink, he had been so hot after rushing around trying to get ready for work. He only had some sour milk left in his fridge and so on his way to the convenience store to grab some orange juice before work he had somehow found himself in a bar instead. 

Frank wasn’t entirely sure how he had ended up there. Sunny weather always made him ache for a drink, remembering all the summers gone by where he would spend days lounging in parks with his friends, tanning on the grass and drinking ice cold beer from a cooler. Or long drives to the beach where he would wriggle his toes in the sand and drink rum with his friends, laughing about being pirates and getting so drunk the drive back would just be an excuse to sleep for a few hours before partying again all through the night when they got home. 

Frank missed those days. The days when drinking was fun and not an enemy. It didn’t matter how often you drunk then, in fact you were celebrated if the first thing you did in the morning was crack open another beer and swallow some pills to nurse a hangover. 

Frank wasn’t sure what it was about turning twenty five that suddenly changed his title of ‘party animal’ to ‘alcoholic’ but the proceeding interventions and AA meetings had only served to distance him from his family and the friends he actually cared about, leaving him with a group of strangers who claimed to be his friends but only seemed to show up when a party was involved. And Frank hadn’t had a party in a long time. Now a days the only people he saw were his work colleagues and his fellow fuck ups at AA.

“Did you drive to work?” Daryl was looking astonished as he gazed at Frank’s car for a moment before turning his gaze back onto the twenty six year old who was stumbling across the small parking lot towards the garage reception. 

“Frank?” Daryl snapped, following him and easily catching up with him. “Are you listening to me? Did you drive here?” Daryl reached out and seized Frank by the shoulder, spinning him round forcefully. Frank stumbled and nearly fell and Daryl had to seize him by both arms to stop him. 

“Jesus Christ Frank, Jesus _fucking_ Christ! You’re wasted and you fucking _drove_ here.” Daryl wasn’t sure whether he should be more angry or concerned. 

“I’m fine.” Frank didn’t seem to understand the gravity of the situation and he only sighed as he tried to push Daryl away from him. His glasses were still slanted across his face and Daryl could see his eyes were blood shot and heavily shadowed, he looked as though he was about to pass out any moment. 

“You’re an idiot.” Daryl snarled, realising there was no point in him trying to reason with Frank whilst he was still so intoxicated. He also couldn’t send him home, he was lucky he hadn’t got himself killed just getting to the garage. 

“Come on.” Daryl sighed heavily, reluctantly pulling Frank’s arm around his shoulder so he could drag him into the reception and the office beyond. 

The garage that Daryl owned was just an average small town car repair centre, but it was his pride and joy. He had created the business himself and he was now a well-respected tradesman in the area. The mechanics he had working for him were all skilled labourers and worked hard. 

Frank was the only one who caused any trouble.

Daryl wasn’t entirely sure what it was about Frank that had persuaded him to employ him when he had come looking for work two years before. He had clearly been just another twenty-something year old who thought the world owed them something. Frank had been covered in tattoos, had his lip and nose pierced and had weirdly dyed and cut hair. He had a little experience of cars but only from what he insisted he had been taught by his dad, no official qualifications. He was not the type of person Daryl would usually employ.

Frank had simply been a high school graduate working in a dead end job funding nothing but his partying. 

He had been honest though. In his interview he had explained that his mother was getting tired of him and he had been told to move out. He had been cock sure, and Daryl had got the distinct expression Frank had no idea how difficult living independently would be. He had said he just needed a job with better pay and more hours, and a chance to build up a career. He wasn’t the smartest of kids, but he was good with his hands and he had somehow convinced Daryl he was a genius with cars.

In the two years that had followed Frank had continued along his path towards self-destruction and Daryl simply felt unable to get rid of him.

At first Frank had seemed to be a promising asset to the business. He had shaved off his ridiculous hair, taken out the piercings and actually showed up to work every day right on time. He worked hard to learn the ropes and though his knowledge of cars turned out to be less than satisfactory he was a quick learner. 

Daryl was embarrassed to think now, as he dragged Frank through to his office to drop him onto the couch inside, that he had actually thought he and his mechanics were a good influence on the boy and could really help him make something of himself.

Frank had continued to party, but that wasn’t the problem. It wasn’t until a year later that he started showing up to work late sometimes, often hung over. Daryl had given him countless warnings, but the lateness started getting worse and finally Frank started to show up to work still drunk.

Daryl had nearly fired him then, he had gone so far as to call Frank into his office one morning when he arrived to work to inform he had until the end of the week to find a new job. But the young man had broken down in front of him, sobbing and insisting that he was going to change. He had said he knew he had a problem and that he was going to go to AA meetings. Apparently his close friends and his family had all lectured him on his drinking already and he had finally realised he had to sort things out.

Daryl sighed as he lay Frank on the couch in the office and took his sunglasses off his face for him. 

He had hoped so much that Frank would be able to sort his life out and turn things around. He wasn’t sure why he hoped so hard for him, he supposed he had come to view Frank as his adopted son. He knew about Frank’s parent’s divorce and how his dad had just abandoned him at fifteen years old. Daryl put that down to why Frank had turned into such a problem child, he was just a lost boy looking for acceptance from his peers to make up for the rejection of his father and things had just got out of control.

Looking at him then Daryl felt a great wash of sympathy for him. He wanted to help Frank, but he didn’t know how. He was just a grease monkey, he didn’t know how to deal with emotions or trauma or being an alcoholic. He had thought the AA meetings would deal with all that, and though Frank did seem to have weeks of no incidents, it would all end up crashing down at moments like these.

In the short time it had taken for Daryl to walk Frank from the parking lot to the office, the young man had obviously decided to stop trying to support himself and had slumped against him. He now lay on the couch with his eyes closed and his lips parted, breathing heavily. 

Daryl sighed and shook his head, watching Frank for just a short moment before leaving him to sleep off the alcohol. There was simply nothing else for it. He left the room and closed the door quietly behind him, telling the staff at the reception desk to make sure no one disturbed Frank before he made his way back out to the car he was working on.

Back in the office Frank was drifting in and out of consciousness. Whenever he stirred awake for a moment he would become awfully aware of how badly his head was spinning and he would begin to feel sea sick before unconsciousness would come to rescue him again. 

He hadn’t meant to get so drunk. In fact he hadn’t meant to get drunk at all. If he was going to be honest with himself, and he wasn’t, he simply couldn’t stop thinking about his encounter with Gerard. It had been playing on his mind for the whole week that had passed since the bizarre episode in the car and it was driving him nuts. He couldn’t make sense of it, and the alcohol had provided him with a much needed relief that he had been trying so hard to deny himself. 

Even being half passed out in his managers office was better than being constantly tortured by the memory of being fucked by Gerard and the way it made him _burn_ to see him again. 

For four hours Frank slept off the alcohol, motionless on the couch. Daryl poked his head round the door a couple times to check he was okay and hadn’t been sick, and then he would leave again. When Frank eventually woke up there was only an hour left until the garage would shut for the day and he was still feeling somewhat tipsy.  
Although he knew he was still intoxicated, Frank could at least think straight enough to realise he had been a fool and that he needed to find Daryl and apologise to him. 

Leaving the office, Frank ignored the chuckles of the reception staff and made his way out the side door into the garage space. Inside the noise of drills, welders and grinders made his ears ring and his head begin to ache. He felt tired and groggy, and he mostly just wanted to turn around and go home. But he also felt anxious, knowing that he was on thin ice with Daryl already before he showed up that morning. 

As he walked past the different cars being worked on the other mechanics looked over at him, some with concern, and others with annoyance. Corey, one of the older mechanics who had played the biggest role in training Frank, looked over at him and sighed. 

“You can’t keep doing this Frank!” He called to him as he walked by, but Frank didn’t even turn his head to look at him. He didn’t need to be told that he couldn’t continue on his path to self-destruction, he knew it already. 

“Daryl?” Frank finally reached the fourth car in the garage and peered beneath it to see his boss tinkering with the exhaust. When he saw Frank he stopped, putting down his tools and sliding out from under the car to get to his feet. 

“You’re finally awake.” He noted, grabbing the same dirty rag he always used to wipe his hands. The dark grease spread about his palms, his hands still stain a dark brown colour even when he dropped the rag again. “I take it you’ve come to explain yourself?”

“I don’t think there’s much to explain.” Frank sighed, knowing from experience there was no point in him trying to come up with an excuse to justify his behaviour. 

“There isn’t.” Daryl agreed, moving away from the car and leading the way to a dusty, long table stood at the side wall of the garage laden with an ancient coffee pot and biscuits. 

“I just wanted to come out here and apologise.” Frank continued talking as they walked, feeling nervous as he spoke to the back of Daryl’s head. 

“I know it doesn’t make much of a difference, but I can’t really say anything else other than I’m sorry. And I really am sorry Daryl, I don’t know what made me… I don’t know how I ended up showing up like… that.”

Daryl heaved a long, disappointed sigh. He didn’t speak until he had filled a mug with coffee and picked up a cookie with his dirty hands. He turned to face Frank then, dunking the cookie into his coffee which he drank as it was, black. 

“Frank I don’t really know what to say to you.” He sighed, feeling dejected and tired. He was fed up of having to deal with Frank’s problems, and as much as he wanted the boy to turn his life around he couldn’t keep wasting money and resources on Frank, not to mention both his and his other employee’s time. 

“I’ve given you so many chances, and this is starting to happen too frequently.”

“I know, I know it is.” Frank groaned, sensing that Daryl was close to firing him again. “But I really was doing so much better, just… something happened last week that’s sort of shook me up. But I can work it out and this won’t happen again.” He insisted, looking at Daryl with imploring eyes. “I promise.” 

“I’ve heard this so many times Frank.” Daryl sighed, running a greasy hand through his salt and pepper hair. “And every time I’m a fool for giving you the benefit of the doubt. I just don’t think I can do it anymore.” 

“What are you saying?” Frank asked quietly, dread starting to fill him. He didn’t like the tone of Daryl’s voice and he wasn’t sure what he was going to do if he ended up losing his job. 

“I’m saying I think it’s about time I let you go.” Daryl sighed, looking at Frank apologetically. “I understand you’re going through a tough time right now but I can’t let you keep draining my resources.” 

Frank gazed at Daryl with wide, wounded eyes. He had been warned numerous times but he had never believed Daryl would really fire him. He found it hard to believe that he was really being let go but as he gazed at Daryl he slowly realised that the older man was serious this time. 

“I’m sorry Frank –”

“Wait! Daryl, please you can’t just fire me.” Frank gasped, though deep down he knew that Daryl had every right to get rid of him. He couldn’t survive without his wages though, his family would never agree to support him whilst he looked for another job, and he didn’t suppose he’d find any work all that soon. 

“Please Daryl, I _need_ this job.”

“If you needed it so badly Frank you wouldn’t keep showing up like this.” Daryl hated to act in a way he deemed cruel, but he had promised himself that he would solve the problem that was Frank and this was the last thing he could do. “I’m sorry Frank, really I am. I wanted to see you change but I think we both know it isn’t going to happen.”

Frank could feel the humiliating burn of tears in his eyes. He couldn’t believe that a quick fuck with a stranger had led to him losing his job. He didn’t know why he hadn’t been able to get Gerard out of his head, or why the alcohol had helped so much, but he suddenly felt enraged at himself for being foolish enough to let things turn out like they were. 

As Frank stood, small and helpless opposite Daryl, Corey finally stood up from where he had been watching the two men and made his way over. 

“Daryl.” He called, biting his lip. “Do you think maybe I could talk to you for a second?” 

Daryl looked confused but nodded. It was clear Corey wanted to talk about Frank from the way he glanced at the young man. His expression gave nothing away though as he touched Daryl’s shoulder and walked him some few feet away where they could whisper without Frank hearing them.

Frank sniffed and wiped his nose on the back of his hand, still feeling ready to cry. He tried to hear what Corey was saying, but he couldn’t make out any specific words He knew they were discussing him, so he stood where he was, silently praying Corey was trying to change Daryl’s mind. 

The two men held a whispered conversation for only five minutes, but it felt like a century to Frank. When they finally turned around and walked back over to him he was starting to feel like he was going to be sick as well as cry. Corey offered him a small smile, but it did nothing to ease his anxiety. 

“Alright Frank,” Daryl heaved a deep sigh. “I’ve reconsidered.” 

Daryl didn’t sound like he was feeling all too positive about giving Frank yet another chance, but Frank could still only feel a sickening lurch to his stomach from the force of his relief. He gazed hopefully at his boss, lips parted in surprise. 

“I won’t fire you just yet.”

Frank didn’t much like the sound of that, but he let Daryl continue. 

“Instead,” Daryl continued. “I’m going to give you two months of paid sick leave. You won’t however receive your full wages, I will pay for your rent and bills, and give you half of the remaining wage so you can support yourself. I’m only holding back the other half so you can’t go and spend it all on alcohol. You might consider that unfair, but you should be grateful that I pay you anything at all.”

Daryl spoke quickly and sternly, able to see that Frank didn’t like the sound of his deal. He didn’t much like the sound of it either. But Corey had been right when he had whispered to him; he couldn’t turn his back on Frank without this one last try, he would never stop worrying about him if he did. He had to give him his best chance, and making him see just how desperately he needed to change in order to keep his job just might force Frank onto the straight and narrow. 

“I don’t want to see you here at all during those two months.” Frank looked speechless, so Daryl continued. “I expect you to take the time out to really think about your problems and solve them. I hope you still go to your AA meetings,” Frank told Daryl that he did, but the older man wasn’t sure whether to believe him anymore. “And perhaps you should consider seeing a therapist one to one if you’re really struggling.”

“How do you expect me to do that without my full pay?” Frank demanded, feeling shocked and angry. He didn’t want to lose his job, but he also didn’t want to be forced to stay cooped up in his apartment for two whole months. If anything, the boredom would make him more likely to drink. 

“I don’t know Frank, you figure it out.” Daryl snapped, in no mood to hear Frank get irritated at him when he believed he was being too kind to him as it was. “I wouldn’t even be giving you this last chance if it wasn’t for Corey.” Daryl tipped his head in Corey’s direction, the mechanic still stood beside him.

“He seems to think you deserve this final chance.” Daryl practically growled, his teeth clenched. “We all care for you Frank, though I’ll be damned if I know why! You can take this deal if you want, or you can decline and you’ll walk out of here jobless and with the shittiest reference I can possibly muster.” 

Daryl supposed he was probably acting too harshly now, but he couldn’t help but feel incredibly angry. Frank had made a fool out of him time and time again, always agreeing to ‘second’ chances and never changing. 

“So that’s it?” Frank sniffed, trying not to show how upset he was. “That’s my ultimatum? Sit bored for two months or leave with a shit reference?”

“In all fairness Frank you do deserve a shit reference.” Corey spoke up then, shrugging casually as he looked at Frank. “And you won’t be spending the two months feeling bored, you’ll spend them turning your life around. Or you _should_ be.” 

Frank opened his mouth to reply but found he didn’t know what to say in response. He stared at Corey moodily for a second, not sure why the older man was trying to help him in the first place. He slowly turned his head to look at Daryl again, sighing in defeat. He didn’t feel as if he really had any choice at all, he couldn’t just leave. 

“So those are my options?” He clarified, both Daryl and Corey nodding seriously at him. 

“Fine… I’ll take the two months.” Frank sighed deeply and ran a hand through his hair, stress creeping into him. Already two months felt like an age, and as he scanned his eyes quickly over the garage and the different cars being worked on he felt a stab of pain in his chest. He didn’t want to leave. 

“In that case you can go home, and I’ll see you in two months.” Daryl downed the rest of his coffee and put the mug down on the table they were stood beside. “Corey will drive you back in your car, you’re still too over the limit to drive.”

Daryl walked away without another word, not giving Frank any time to argue. Frank watched him go, feeling sick from the cocktail of emotions swirling through him, but he didn’t try to follow his boss. 

Corey stood watching Frank silently for a moment, waiting to see if he would say anything. When Frank finally turned to look at him again it was only for a second, and then he looked down at his feet without a word, making it clear he didn’t want to speak.

“Come on.” Corey sighed, cocking his head towards the door that led back through the reception. He turned on his heels and strode across the dusty floor, Frank miserably following behind him. 

No one said anything to them as they passed, even the boys on reception ignored them as Corey led Frank back outside and across the parking lot to his Chevelle. It was obvious to everyone that Daryl had struck a huge blow, and that Frank was still reeling from it. Corey couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. 

“Keys?” 

Frank dug in his pockets and dropped his car keys into Corey’s outstretched palm. He still said nothing as he waited for him to unlock the car and then slid into the passenger’s seat. He crossed his arms sulkily over his chest, turning to face out the window and pouting all the way. He didn’t want Corey to drive his car, he didn’t want to be going home at all. 

Corey glanced over at Frank several times as he drove him home. He wanted to offer some sort of helpful advice but just like Daryl and all the other men in the garage, he wasn’t especially good at dealing with these sorts of things. He had been brought up to believe that men should bottle up their problems and just ignore them and power on. He didn’t expect saying that to Frank would help him. 

“Listen…” As they pulled up to a red light Corey made an attempt to cheer Frank up. “I know this feels pretty shit right now, but Daryl is just trying to give you your best chance.” 

“By forcing me out of work?” Frank growled, finally turning his head to scowl at Corey. “That job is the only thing keeping me sane. If I’m out of work for two months I’ll only come back worse.” He warned. 

“No you won’t.” Corey said confidently, keeping his eyes fixed on the stop light. “Because you know if you do you’ll never work for Daryl again. And I know you don’t want that.” Corey glanced at Frank out of the corner of his eyes for a second, before focusing forward again when the light turned green.

“I know you guys all think I’m a fuck up, and okay sure I’ll say I’m in an alcoholic.” Frank shrugged, still staring at Corey. “But I’m not so bad that I can’t work.”

Corey scoffed and shook his head. “If you really believe that then it’s no wonder you’re not getting better.” He said bluntly, Frank feeling hurt and shocked at his words. 

“I am trying…” He whispered, his anger disappearing in a rush of hopelessness. It felt as though no one believed that he was even trying to give up the alcohol. He had been trying to… sort of… He just didn’t think he was as bad as half the other people at the AA meetings. 

“I believe you Frank.” Corey sighed, turning into Frank’s street. “But I just don’t think you’ve really _thought_ about all the things you’ve lost because of drink.” Corey pulled up outside the apartment block Frank lived in, turning in his seat to gaze at him. “I mean… Your family don’t speak to you anymore. All your so called friends sound like assholes from what I hear, and now you’re on the brink of losing your job.”

“Wow man, thanks for making me feel better.” Frank scoffed, rolling his eyes and turning to open the car door but Corey grabbed his wrist and stopped him.

“I’m trying to make you realise how serious this is Frank!” He snapped, unable to keep calm around the younger man any longer. “I don’t know why you have to keep fucking yourself up, and to be honest I don’t care! I just want you to understand that what Daryl is offering you right now is your _last chance_. If you fuck this up then he won’t let you come back.” 

Corey’s eyes were wide and pleading, Frank had never seen the man look so concerned for anyone before. He liked Corey, he considered him a friend and he looked up to him. He had only respect for him, but his words just made him feel sicker than ever. 

“I’m not an idiot Corey.” He whispered, unable to think of anything else to say. “I know this is my last chance.” Frank tried to tug his wrist out of Corey’s grip, and after a couple of pulls the older man finally let him go. 

Corey got out of the car with Frank, throwing him the keys over the roof. Frank put them back in his pocket and turned to walk away, but Corey called after him. 

“Frank!” Corey jogged closer to Frank, waiting for him to turn and face him. “You have my number right? Just call me, if you need anything. If you need… a friend, ya know?” Corey shrugged, trying to make it not seem like a big deal but he could feel that he was blushing. He didn’t usually reach out to people on an emotional level, and he sighed when Frank only continued to stare blankly at him.

“I have your number.” He confirmed, but it was clear as he walked away to his apartment that he had no intention of calling Corey.

 

Gerard lay on his back, idly smoking a cigarette with one hand, the other pressed into the soft hair of a rather pretty boy who had been delivering his mail that morning. 

Gerard had had his cock sucked by many a man, and whilst the mail boy wasn’t bad, Gerard had felt better. But then that was the problem, it didn’t matter who he picked up, he had _always_ felt better. He wouldn’t go so far as to say that sex was beginning to bore him, but after so many lovers it was difficult to find anyone who really interested him.

The room was filled with the soft, wet sounds of sucking mingled with the gentle moans of the mail boy. Gerard himself remained silent, smoking his cigarette and gazing around his bedroom. 

Sometimes it amazed even him how easy it was to pick up men. He had opened his door to the mail boy, a fresh faced youngster of only nineteen. All he had had to do was smile sweetly at him, sign for a package and ask innocently whether he wanted to come in for a drink as it was so hot outside. From the moment he had opened the door it was clear he had the boy hook, line and sinker.

“Mm…” The boy finally stopped sucking, looking up at Gerard with nervous eyes when the lack of feedback began to make him nervous. “I… I’m sorry if I’m not any good, I haven’t done this very much.” He apologised, his blue eyes large and apologetic. 

Gerard chuckled and couldn’t help but smile, shaking his head and gently caressing the boy’s cheek as he put out his cigarette and left it in an ashtray on the bedside table. 

“Don’t apologise sweet thing, this pretty mouth of yours is incredible.” Gerard drew the boy closer, tracing his thumb beneath his slightly swollen lips. They did look utterly delectable, and he kissed the boy slow and deep so that he could tug on the plump, red flesh with his teeth before soothing with his tongue. 

The boy moaned breathlessly, hooking his arms around Gerard’s neck and sidling forward until their erections touched. Being so young and inexperienced he practically shook the more turned on he became, and when Gerard slid a hand down his back to feel over the boys ass he trembled like a flower. 

“Are you a virgin?” Gerard asked him lightly, holding his face still in his other hand, turning it to the side so he could lick a long trail from shoulder to cheek. His other hand was spreading his cheeks apart, and he dipped a finger to graze over his puckered hole. He felt tense and tight, and Gerard grinned at the way the boy practically sang into his ear. 

“Yes…” 

“Oh?” Gerard found some lube from the drawer, coating his fingers in the slippery substance. He kept the boy tight to his chest, not letting him move as he kissed and sucked a trail of marks down his neck. He could practically hear the way the boy was worrying in his mind, knowing he shouldn’t let a stranger take him for the first time, but undoubtedly wanting it. 

“I won’t fuck you.” Gerard decided, talking mostly to himself. “But I would like to play with you just a little.”

The boy was in no position to argue. He pressed tighter to Gerard, his erection sliding over the older man’s stomach. The boy himself was just a little shorter than Gerard, but much skinnier. He had a real teenager’s body, a late bloomer. He was yet to fill into a more manly physique, but he had a most beautiful cock. And though Gerard couldn’t see it, his probing fingers could feel he had a beautiful hole as well. 

Gerard took his time with the boy, enjoying himself more than he thought he would. The blonde’s moaning was like music to his ears, the boy so astonished and breathless, it was clear he had never gone so far as this. Gerard’s fingers slid into him with ease after some lengthy teasing, and he pressed the pads of his fingers against his prostate which he could feel was swollen from arousal. 

“Do you like it?” Gerard growled into the boy’s ear, biting the lobe and thrusting his fingers slow and deep inside him. 

The boy was beyond himself, moaning and trembling and nodding over and over. He tried to talk but his words were disjointed and breathless, and it was only a matter of minutes before he was sobbing for release. 

Gerard slid his fingers out of the boy, hooking both hands beneath his ass to suddenly lift him up. The boy squeaked in surprise, grabbing hold of Gerard’s head and gasping as the older man suddenly sucked his cock into his mouth and tipped him over the edge with one, hard suck.

Gerard swallowed hungrily, taking down every last drop the boy had to give. He kept him in his mouth for as long as he was still hard, his tongue probing his slit for anymore cum he could gather until finally the boy had to push him away, whimpering over how sensitive he was. 

Gerard chuckled as he released the nineteen year old, licking his lips and smirking at the way the boy flopped onto his back, panting heavily.

The boy really was a lovely specimen. His blonde curls fell damp into his closed eyes and his red lips were kiss swollen and shining. His body was so slim that he looked delicate and breakable, but Gerard liked that. He only ever slept with beautiful men, and this boy was like an angel amongst them.

Gerard slid out of the bed, giving the boy a few minutes to compose himself as he wandered to the window and peered out over the sunny streets. He had slept with so many beautiful men… He had never thought of any of them after fucking them though. None except for Frank.

Gerard liked to pick men up from all sorts of places, always looking for someone new. The AA meeting had seemed a hilarious place to find some tragic soul in need of a lay and he hadn’t been disappointed. Frank had been gorgeous, and so had his car, and Gerard had enjoyed fucking him a much as he enjoyed fucking any man.

Gerard frowned, idly chewing on his thumb nail as he looked out the window and wondered where Frank could possibly live. He wasn’t sure why he couldn’t stop thinking about him, and it unnerved him. He felt better when he was with someone else, he could forget Frank and focus on the task at hand. But it was only a short relief… Gerard knew that even once the beautiful boy in his bed left, he would forget him and think only of Frank again.

It mattered not though. Gerard turned away from the window with disgust and smiled kindly at the mail boy, passing him his clothes as a hint it was time to leave. 

Gerard never slept with the same man twice.


	3. Angel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meep, I'm so sorry this chapter took forever to get out. I just took ages to write it, for no particular reason really. I hope its worth the wait at least, and I'll try to be more prompt next time!  
> xo

Frank leant against the side of his car, smoking a cigarette and watching as each person made their way into the community hall for the AA meeting. 

Frank had considered not coming. He hated the meetings and didn’t find them helpful in the slightest, but he was hoping that Gerard might be there. He had considered not going for that reason alone… Part of him knew that he shouldn’t want to see Gerard again. The man was a stranger; he knew nothing about him and just because they had had sex once didn’t mean that he owed him anything. 

Frank wanted to pretend that he was going to the AA meeting because he had finally realised he was the world’s biggest fuck up and needed to engage in changing his life. But he couldn’t even lie to himself, he wanted to see Gerard and yes, as much as he hated to admit it, he wanted to be fucked again.

Frank felt disappointment starting to creep into him as he stared at the community hall. There was no sign of Gerard yet, just the usual miserable souls who would turn up every week looking like they hadn’t slept since they’d given up the good stuff. If Gerard didn’t arrive, then Frank wasn’t going.

Minutes ticked by, each one feeling like an hour. Frank smoked his cigarette and checked his phone for the time every thirty seconds.

Midday. The meeting would be starting.

Two minutes past. Frank could still walk in without attracting too much attention. Gerard could be right around the corner.

Five past twelve. Frank was still at a reasonable time to enter the room. Gerard could just be running late.

Ten past twelve. If Frank walked in now, Paul would be sure to pick on him, but there was still a chance that Gerard could make it.  
Two cigarettes smoked and at twelve twenty, Frank decided to give up. He dropped the burnt out cigarette between his fingers onto the ground and under foot, disappointment crushing him like a ton of bricks. Gerard wasn’t coming, that was obvious. Frank supposed he was a fool for even hoping he would see him again.

Frank turned around, grabbing his car keys from his pocket as he came face to face with the man stood beside his car. 

“Christ!” Frank jumped in surprise, stumbling backwards and only just righting himself in time before he hit the floor. His eyes had gone wide and his jaw had dropped, but Gerard only smiled calmly at him. 

“It’s Gerard actually,” He smirked, shrugging his shoulders. “But I guess I can forgive you for forgetting my name.”

Frank gave a soft, forced chuckle, trying to pull his mouth into a convincing smile but his heart was pounding so fast he felt like he was having a heart attack. How long had Gerard been standing there? Did he know he had been stood around waiting for him? He probably did, the shit-eating smirk on his face said he did. 

“I didn’t forget your name.” Frank said meekly, staring at Gerard. His heart wasn’t returning to its normal pace and Frank got the feeling it wouldn’t be able to for the duration he was with him. 

“What are you doing here?” 

“AA?” Gerard tipped his head to the side, grinning more at the way Frank’s blush intensified. “Why else would I be here?” 

“I meant… Why are you _here_ , lurking around my car.” Frank clarified, feeling embarrassed and nervous. He had been eager to see Gerard again, but now he was facing him he didn’t know what to say.

“Lurking?” Gerard repeated, raising his eyebrows in innocent surprise. “I wasn’t lurking, I was waiting to see if you were going to go into the meeting. But I’m guessing since all you’re doing is standing here you have no intention of doing that.” 

Frank opened his mouth, but found that he had no response. He shuffled uncomfortably and shrugged, trying to think of something witty to say but his mind came up blank. He was beginning to feel that there was something very wrong with Gerard… The way he made Frank fall under some sort of hypnotic fog was simply not normal. 

Gerard smiled curiously as he waited for Frank to say something, but the mechanic just grew more and more uncomfortable the more the silence wore on. 

Gerard wasn’t going to come to the meeting. He wasn’t actually an alcoholic and had only gone to the first meeting to try and pull. Usually that would have been the end of it and he knew there was no reason for him to be stood in the parking lot, gazing at the man he had already taken all he wanted from. And yet somehow, he had ended up here…

“Wanna go somewhere?” Gerard finally decided to break the silence and just get right down to it. It was clear neither he nor Frank were going to the meeting that day. 

Frank felt some surprise at Gerard’s haste to move them on, but it wasn’t as if he was acting any differently from the first time Frank had met him. He would probably just want to go somewhere they could fuck and then leave again and Frank didn’t want that. He knew he should refuse and just go home and forget Gerard, but he hadn’t stood around in the parking lot waiting for the man for no reason.

“Sure.” He sighed, still trying to slow his racing heart. “Let’s go to a bar.” 

Frank walked past Gerard, trying to find his confidence and appear just as calm and casual as Gerard did. With a deep inhale of breath he managed to calm himself just enough to unlock the car without his hands shaking. 

“A bar?” Gerard had turned to face Frank, but he didn’t make any move to get into the car just yet. He waited until Frank looked at him, meeting his gaze with a carefully neutral expression.

“Problem with that?” Frank asked, almost snapped, making Gerard smirk slowly.

“Not at all.” He purred, walking round the back of the car to get into the passenger seat. Frank got into his own seat, taking another deep breath and managing to slow his heart at last. 

Frank drove to the nearest place he could think of; an old, local pub that wasn’t too far from the community hall. 

The drive felt like it took years and the awkward silence between the two men dragged on and on. Gerard seemed perfectly at ease, gazing out of the window without a care in the world. But Frank was so on edge his knuckles had turned white from how hard he was clenching the steering wheel. 

Frank couldn’t make sense of what was happening to him, or who Gerard was. He had a million questions he wanted answering but when he tried to plan what he was going to say to Gerard when they reached the pub, he found he couldn’t think of a single one. He felt idiotic for even getting so worked up over what was clearly a quick, meaningless fuck. He should have just been able to walk away and never think of Gerard again.

Frank glanced at the older man, his cheeks tingeing pink when Gerard idly turned his head to catch his gaze. His expression was neutral, almost bored and still Frank felt a shiver go up his spine and his cock swell slightly in his jeans. 

Frank turned his head quickly back to look at the road, gritting his teeth to stop himself from cursing. How could Gerard seduce him with just a normal look? Frank was not the type of man who fell for people easily, but just looking into Gerard’s eyes seemed to put him under a spell. 

When they reached the pub after a short, five minute drive, Frank already felt like he needed a gallon of beer to put him at ease. He practically fell out of the car in his haste, striding to the entrance without checking whether Gerard was following him or not. It would have been better for everyone if Gerard simply left, but of course when Frank reached the bar and glanced over his shoulder, Gerard was stood right behind him.

“What do you want?” Frank asked him bluntly at the same time as the bar man approached them. 

Gerard raised his eyebrows at Frank, considering for a moment before shrugging. “Whatever you’re having.”

Frank didn’t complain, too eager to get a drink. He turned to the barman and ordered two whiskies, before changing his mind a split second later and asking for the entire bottle instead. The barman looked surprised, but didn’t question Frank’s decision to drink so heavily so early in the day. He simply got him a fresh bottle and two glasses, accepting his money without a word. 

Frank grabbed the whisky and made his way to a table at the back of the pub. There were only two other patrons inside, two old men who were clearly regulars, sitting at opposite ends of the bar. One was smoking a pipe and reading a newspaper, the other seemed to be struggling to figure out how to use a smart-phone lying on the bar in front of him.

Frank watched both men whilst he filled both tumblers with whisky. He showed particular interest in the man with the smart-phone, just needing someone to stare at so that he didn’t look at Gerard who was silently watching him with those hypnotic eyes. 

Frank didn’t turn to face Gerard until he had downed his first glass of whisky and then poured more to replace it. When he finally did turn to look at the older man it was to find that Gerard was smiling calmly at him, idly running his fingertips round the rim of his own tumbler. 

“You alright there Frankie?” He asked innocently, raising his eyebrows in mock concern. “You seem uneasy.” 

Frank kept silent, fixing his eyes on Gerard and slowly knocking back his second tumbler of whisky. 

“I don’t think there’s any point in me lying to you, is there?” Frank’s voice was already growing husky, though whether from alcohol or arousal, he didn’t know. Just sitting opposite Gerard was like bathing in lust, he was starting to become convinced Gerard must give off some sort of chemical signal, pheromones or something that called to Frank’s hormones and drove him insane. 

He was also convinced Gerard wasn’t human.

“Mm…” Gerard pretended to consider Frank’s question for a moment, humming to himself and picking up his glass. He raised it to eye level, inspected the amber liquid inside, turning it this way and that so the light made it sparkle before he knocked the alcohol back and smirked at Frank. “Probably not.”

“There’s also no reason in us pretending to get to know each other, is there?” Frank spoke softer this time, not sure what response he was expecting or even what he wanted. 

Maybe Gerard was just some sort of inhuman creature who would either stick around just to break Frank’s heart, or would disappear after finishing his whisky never to be seen again. Maybe he was a murderer and was planning to kill Frank, or maybe he really was just a normal guy who Frank was inexplicably attracted to who really was just innocently trying to get into his pants again. Did any of that make it wrong for Frank to want to get to know him?

“Frank, why would you _want_ to get to know me?” Gerard answered Frank’s question with one of his own, raising his eyebrows at the mechanic and turning his empty glass round his fingers. “We fucked once. It meant nothing and we can get to know each other if you like, but it will still mean nothing.”

Gerard saw no reason not to be honest with Frank. He was always blunt, and he still got what he wanted. But for once he wasn’t sure what it was that he desired when it came to the disgruntled man sitting opposite him. If Frank was like any other of his conquests, then he wouldn’t be sat with him now and yet there they were, sharing whisky and laying their cards out on the table. 

“Why did you fuck me?” Frank was starting to feel irritated which helped him see through his lusty haze and think of some of the questions that had been plaguing him all week. “Why me? Why that day? What were you even doing at that meeting, are you even an alcoholic?” Frank demanded, looking accusingly at the tumbler Gerard was refilling. 

“No I’m not an alcoholic.” Gerard chuckled, his face amused as he sipped his whisky this time. “I was at the meeting looking for someone to fuck and you seemed the easiest option.” 

Gerard watched with interest as Frank’s face went from shock, to hurt, to anger in a space of three seconds. He slowly turned red, his brown eyes flashing dangerously as he grabbed his glass and knocked back his whisky, immediately refilling and downing the next as well. 

Once the burn of the alcohol had left his throat Frank glared at Gerard, almost baring his teeth as he snarled and tried to think of something to retort with. He couldn’t believe Gerard had just called him easy. He was not _easy_ , he never had one night stands and he rarely flirted with people. He was practically a prude compared to some of the guys he knew, and yet he knew couldn’t argue that point since all Gerard knew about him was what he had seen since that first AA meeting… and mostly he had seen Frank’s naked body writhing against the inside window of his car.

“So that’s it then?” Frank demanded, filling his glass again. “You just cruise around looking for easy fucks?”

Gerard looked calmly at Frank, not even having to consider his question. 

“Basically.” He shrugged, sipping his whisky and gazing at Frank with an innocent expression. “Does that bother you?” 

“Well yeah! I mean…” Frank trailed off, staring at Gerard with enraged eyes. His open mouth slowly closed when he realised he didn’t have any reason to be bothered by the fact that Gerard had just used him for sex. It was none of his business. If he didn’t want to be used he shouldn’t have been so stupid as to agree to a quick fuck in the first place. And yet he _was_ bothered. 

Gerard watched Frank carefully, cocking his head to the side when Frank didn’t finish his sentence. Gerard felt somewhat amused, though he wasn’t sure why. As far as his feelings went for the man in front of him, he was just as confused as Frank was. 

“Asking you here was a bad idea.” Frank finally sighed, downing his still full glass before pushing his chair out to leave. He rose to his feet, Gerard springing up too as if he had been electrocuted. 

“Wait!” Gerard reached out and grabbed Frank’s wrist before the man could even take one step. Frank looked at him in surprise, raising his eyebrows and giving a gentle tug to see how hard Gerard was holding him… the grip was like a vice. 

“What?” Frank frowned and tugged again, harder this time, and Gerard’s fingers tightened. “Oh, suddenly you’re interested in me?” 

“I never said I wasn’t interested in you.” Gerard pointed out, smirking softly. His eyes though were as hollow as ever, his expression not quite reaching them and Frank felt a shudder ripple through him. Sometimes, like then, Gerard just seemed to scream danger. But it would only take a second for Frank to be caught in his web again. 

“Come with me.” Gerard pulled Frank suddenly, heading out of the bar and back to Frank’s car. 

Frank stumbled at first, not sure what was going on but he soon fell into step and hurried along beside Gerard. He felt like a child getting dragged by the wrist, but he was too dumbfounded to so much as speak let alone break out of Gerard’s death grip. 

Frank wasn’t sure where they were going or what Gerard was planning next, he was still reeling from the implication that Gerard might actually be interested in him, whatever that meant. 

“You have your own place right?” Gerard asked as they reached Frank’s car and he let go of the younger man’s wrist so he could unlock the doors. 

“I… yeah.” Frank blushed and wrestled with his many key rings, finally finding the key itself and unlocking the car. He wasn’t surprised when Gerard got into the passenger seat but he still wondered whether he should scold him for not asking first. He was clearly bossing Frank around, something that would usually irritate the mechanic to no end, but instead, just like with everything else Gerard did, it only aroused him.

“You live in an apartment by yourself?” Frank nodded as he got into the car, looking suspiciously at Gerard out of the corner of his eye as he turned the key in the ignition and the engine fired to life. “No one will disturb us?”

“No Gerard.” Frank sighed, his heart racing as he pulled out of the parking lot and started towards his apartment. “But sounding like you’re planning to murder me isn’t making me feel very safe.” He scoffed, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Don’t be silly Frank.” Gerard spoke calmly, gazing intently at the young man. “I’m going to fuck you.”

Frank’s eyes went wide and his heart missed a beat, but he somehow managed to stay concentrating on the road. He wondered if he would ever get truly used to Gerard’s blunt way of putting things, he sincerely hoped it wouldn’t rub off on him. If he spoke so bluntly at work he’d be fired properly for sure.

Gerard smirked as he watched Frank driving, taking in the younger man’s features and trying to understand what it was about him that was making Gerard to decide to break his habit of never having sex with the same man twice. 

Frank was a good looking man, Gerard could understand that. Was he the _most_ good looking man Gerard had ever seen? Not at all. He didn’t even seem to have the most appealing personality Gerard had ever encountered either. And yet for some reason Gerard just couldn’t keep away from him. 

“You know, you’re way too over the limit to be driving.” Gerard pointed out lazily, still smirking as he gazed at Frank. 

“I’m fine.” Frank scoffed, scowling as he drove the two of them back to his apartment. 

“I’m not complaining.” Gerard shrugged.

“Stop talking then.” Frank retorted, refusing to look at Gerard. 

As much as it irritated him, Frank knew that Gerard was right and that he was too drunk to be driving, not that he felt drunk at all. Alcohol didn’t seem to grip him as easily as it once had and he felt as sober as he had when he had first started drinking the whisky, but he knew that if they were pulled over for any reason the police would soon discover that he was over the limit and Frank really didn’t feel like going to prison that day.

Concentrating on the road was already difficult thanks to Gerard’s presence in his car, but it got entirely more difficult when the older man suddenly leant across the central reservation to press his lips to Frank’s neck. 

“Hey! What are you doing!?” Frank gasped, almost losing control over the wheel. The car swerved to the left before Frank managed to wrestle them back into the centre of the road. His heart raced in his chest and he felt a surge of relief that the road wasn’t busy. Gerard didn’t even react. 

“Concentrate.” He growled into the skin behind Frank’s ear before gently biting on the shell. Frank gasped and shuddered, shaking his head to try and throw Gerard off. 

“I’m trying.” He whined, pushing against the older man with his shoulder. “Can’t you wait until we get to mine?”

“Yes, but this is so much more fun.” Gerard purred, dropping his voice low so that Frank could feel it vibrate through his skin and he shuddered gently. His cheeks were beginning to go pink already and he squirmed lightly in his seat, trying hard to focus on his driving and just ignore what Gerard was doing. 

Gerard kissed lower, trailing his lips down Frank’s neck. It wasn’t a surprise that Frank surrendered to him with barely any resistance; Gerard hadn’t been properly resisted by anyone he turned his charms to. He had yet to grow bored of it though and turned smug as he kissed right down past Frank’s shoulder and dropped down onto his front so that his hands could tug at Frank’s belt.

“Fuck!” Frank gasped, trying to buck Gerard away from him without losing control over the car but the man was like a rock. “Gerard, don’t!” Frank snapped as firmly as he could, not surprised when he got ignored and his jeans got yanked open by insistent hands. “Gerard I’m trying to drive,” Frank whimpered, his voice losing authority already. 

“So drive,” Gerard shrugged, kissing and sucking Frank’s shaft through his underwear. The dark cotton soon had a damp patch growing from Gerard’s eager mouth and Frank bit back a groan as he tried to focus on the road. 

“G – Gerard, I’m over the limit as it is, do you really think this is a good idea?” He pointed out before gasping and squeezing his eyes shut when Gerard nibbled ever so lightly over his tip through his boxer briefs. 

“Oh God!” 

“Mmm… How can I stop when you love it so much?” Gerard purred maddeningly, sucking and nipping through the cotton underwear until Frank was so hard that the head of his cock had begun to peek over the waistband. 

Frank stuttered and stammered, trying to formulate a response but he kept getting cut off by his own moans. His eyes had gone glossy and he was certain his vision had blurred. He reached a hand down to shift gear and without even thinking found himself gripping Gerard’s hair afterwards, yanking him to his tip and moaning loudly when he felt his mouth encasing him. 

Frank quickly let go of Gerard’s hair and seized the wheel again, gripping as hard as he could. He bucked his hips lightly and struggled to contain his moaning and concentrate on driving. 

Gerard’s tongue was snaking round Frank’s tip, dipping into the tiny slit before moving out to sweep across his fraenulum. One hand was trapped beneath himself, but the other was wrapped around Frank’s shaft where he was teasing the foreskin, bringing it up to get pinched lightly by his teeth before pulling it down again to expose the whole of the head. His tongue crept beneath the crown where it was most sensitive and Frank positively screamed in surprise. 

“Gerard please! Fuck, I… I can’t drive.” Frank gasped, throwing his head back for a moment and squeezing his eyes shut. He opened them just in time to avoid running straight across an intersection without looking. He slammed his brakes on at a red light and took some deep, calming breaths. 

“Gerard…” He whimpered, panting softly as Gerard ignored his pleas and finally took his whole length into his mouth. 

“Oh fuck…” Frank breathed, squeezing the wheel tighter. He felt close to orgasm already. He could hardly believe how quickly Gerard could make him cum, and hoped that perhaps this way he would be able to last a little longer when they got to his apartment and actually fucked. 

“Oh… Gerard that… that’s so good…” Frank breathed, slowly moving one hand off the wheel to touch Gerard’s hair. “I – FUCK!” Frank gasped and jolted upright, his eyes flowing open as a long blast from a car horn sounded behind him. 

Gerard didn’t even seem to notice and only continued sucking as Frank hurried to put the car into gear and move away from the light which had now turned green. His hands were shaking as he pulled off and drove as fast as he dared back home, struggling to keep his eyes open and to focus whilst Gerard sucked more and more enthusiastically. 

By the time Frank pulled into the parking lot for his apartment he felt like he was going to die. Gerard was sucking him painfully slow and Frank was desperate to cum. As soon as he had the car parked his hands flew to Gerard’s hair and he pushed his head down with a groan. 

Gerard didn’t make any sound of protest; in fact he made no sound at all. He easily opened his throat to take all of Frank down and bobbed his head faster when Frank tugged at his hair and begged him to make him cum. 

Frank didn’t last too long after that. He bucked his hips and yanked at Gerard’s hair, fucking his mouth without care. If the man didn’t like it then he shouldn’t have forced a blowjob on him in the first place, not that Frank was complaining anymore, far from it. Instead he was reaching his climax and he achieved it with a cry of Gerard’s name. 

Frank snapped his hips up and held them there whilst his hands kept Gerard’s head pressed down. He could feel the ripples of Gerard’s throat against his cock whilst he swallowed down his cum, not letting a single drop get away. His tongue searched every inch of Frank’s cock to make sure there wasn’t a drop left before he finally let him fall from his mouth and he turned his eyes up to look at Frank with a soft smirk as he licked his lips. 

“Fuck…”

“Let’s get inside.” Gerard grinned, moving out of the car with a speed and grace which was almost inhuman. 

Frank grunted softly and struggled to tuck himself back into his underwear and do up his jeans whilst he was still half-hard. He stumbled out of the car and nearly fell straight on his face, his knees weak after the incredible orgasm he had just experienced. 

If anyone had walked by then and seen them they would never have guessed that just a minute before Gerard had had a cock in his mouth. His outfit was still perfect, his expression was calm, even his hair was perfectly styled as though Frank’s hands had never been running through it. The only hint was the red plumpness of his lips.

Frank, on the other hand, looked as though he had been fucked three times over. 

“Which apartment is yours?” Gerard asked calmly, looking towards the apartment block and gasping when Frank suddenly seized him by the hand and yanked him towards the entrance. 

Even after having cum only moments before Frank was still desperate to get into his bed and have Gerard touch him again. He hadn’t stopped thinking about their first meeting since it happened and right then he needed something to make him feel better after almost losing his job. Perhaps he could even persuade Gerard to spend time with him over the next two months, but he would worry more about that later. First-

“Just here.” Frank pulled Gerard until they were outside his door and then jingled with his keys to find the right one. His hands were still shaking and when he finally managed to get the door open he fell inside. “Bedroom?” Frank glanced at Gerard over his shoulder, his expression full of need and Gerard chuckled, nodding calmly as he closed the door behind them and then followed Frank who practically ran down the hall to his bedroom door. 

Gerard followed Frank into the room, gazing around for just a moment to take it in. 

The apartment was small but tidy, something Gerard hadn’t been expecting considering Frank’s alcoholism. The bedroom was clean, and the bed was actually made, in fact, it looked completely unslept in. The sheets were plain black, and the walls were lined with posters of classic cars and trucks. It didn’t look like Frank spent much time in the bedroom, but Gerard was sure he could change that. 

“Take your clothes off.” He spoke idly, still looking about the room. “I want to see you naked again.”

Frank swallowed thickly but made no word of complaint. He stood in the centre of the room, his eyes fixed on Gerard as he tugged his shirt over his head and then got to work on his belt and jeans. 

Gerard walked slowly about the room, brushing his fingertips over surfaces as if he were checking for dust. Frank watched him curiously as he stepped out of his clothes and got onto the bed, pulling the covers over himself so he didn’t feel so exposed. 

Gerard picked up a picture of a dog standing on Frank’s dresser, quirking an eyebrow at it. There were no other photographs in the room, no indication that Frank knew or cared about his family or had any real friends. It seemed very telling, in Gerard’s opinion, that the only photo was of an old collie. 

Gerard put the frame back down and turned to face Frank, cocking his head to the side when he saw him sat up in the bed with the covers pulled up to his chest. 

“I said I wanted to see you naked.” He spoke coolly; walking slowly across the room as he slowly unbuttoned his own shirt and let it fall off his shoulders. “Why are you hiding?”

“I’m not hiding.” Frank scoffed, letting the duvet fall down his body without any hesitation. “I’m waiting.” He added with a smirk, his eyes sparkling when Gerard grinned at him and Frank felt his heart race to know he had said something that had impressed the older man. 

“Oh?” Gerard sauntered to the bed with feline grace, his jeans sliding down his legs as soon as he pushed at the hem and he grinned darkly at Frank as he stepped out of them and crawled up from the end of the bed. 

“Waiting for what?”

“Well… You did say you would fuck me.” Frank lowered his head so that he had to look up through his eyelashes to see Gerard, trying to appear as innocent as possible. 

He was beginning to think that snaring Gerard’s interest wouldn’t be too hard. All he had to do was be as blunt as the man himself and flaunt his body a little bit. Obviously Gerard was attracted to him; if he wasn’t then they wouldn’t have fucked in the first place. So Frank was desirable… all he had to do was make himself _interesting_.

“Hmm…” Gerard was smirking now, his eyes finally showing an emotion and Frank felt stunned to realise the man was impressed. “I did, didn’t I?” Gerard purred back just as innocently, crawling right up Frank’s body after yanking the covers off of him. “Is that what you’d like?” 

“Well…” Frank’s heart was racing so erratically he felt almost breathless and he was half hard again already. His skin felt like it was prickling with electricity and it took all of his effort to keep his voice steady and to sound confident as he shrugged and tried to appear blasé. “If it’s all I’m going to get out of you, I may as well take it.” 

“Oh?” Gerard’s eyebrows rose in genuine surprise then and he grinned slowly. “What else could you possibly want from me?” He asked curiously, gasping when Frank suddenly seized him by the shoulders and flipped them over so that he was straddling his hips. 

“Why don’t we discuss that afterwards?” Frank grinned, leaning down so that his face was level with Gerard’s. He slid his hands down the older man’s chest and bit his lip, frowning curiously when he met Gerard’s gaze and his eyes seemed to change colour before him. The boring brown which had turned into gorgeous chocolate and caramel that day in the car changed again, growing darker and darker until Frank was wondering if the iris was going to turn as black as the pupil but Gerard leaned up to kiss him so suddenly that he stopped looking.

“Oh!” Frank couldn’t help but gasp in surprise and he flung his arms around Gerard’s neck, pressing tight to him and kissing him feverishly. 

Frank soon forgot about Gerard’s eyes and could concentrate only on their cocks rubbing together and Gerard’s tongue probing his mouth. 

It wasn’t a surprise to either man that Frank got hard first, despite his previous orgasm. Gerard just _did_ something to him and within just a minute, Frank was rutting shamelessly against him, trying to get friction against his erection in any way he could. 

“Oh… Oh God, fuck, I haven’t been able to- nngh… stop thinking about you,” Frank gasped, his nails digging into the back of Gerard’s neck as he thrust his hips forward. 

Gerard was sat up properly by now, Frank’s ass pressing against his own hardening cock where the man’s knees had split either side of his hips. The mechanic was rubbing against his stomach and rambling against his face and neck. 

“I’ve wanted you so bad… fuck… best fuck of my life the other day…” 

“Frank, shut up,” Gerard chuckled breathlessly, used to guys just spilling their hearts out to him when they got into the heat of the moment but he never really enjoyed listening to them. Frank at least was a bit more fun to listen to. Most of the men Gerard slept with ended up professing their love to him after all of five minutes; it was a rare relief when some didn’t. 

“Fuck, sorry… I can’t- can’t help it,” Frank groaned, his cheeks flaming red. He knew deep down that he was embarrassing himself. He had never acted like this, not even when he was a lust-filled teenager getting his first taste of sex with the hottest guy in his school. He had thought he had been acting ridiculously then, but it was nothing compared to what he was doing now. 

“Why… Why do you do this to me?” Frank groaned, starting to sweat already as he rubbed eagerly against Gerard’s stomach. 

Gerard made no move to reply, not that it mattered. Frank cupped the back of his neck and yanked him closer for another deep, longing kiss. This time he pushed his tongue into Gerard’s mouth, scratching his neck as he moaned hungrily and spread his knees even further, resulting in lowering himself more into Gerard’s lap. 

Gerard chuckled into Frank’s mouth, loving whenever he managed to make guys act like this and somehow, Frank was just more delicious than any of them. 

The mechanic was trembling gently but, unlike the virgin mail boy, Gerard knew this time it was because of the force of his lust. Frank _needed_ something inside him, Gerard’s entire body was telling him so. 

“Stop!” Gerard suddenly broke the kiss and seized Frank by the chin, forcing his head up so that he could kiss and bite hard all the way down his throat. “I control this.” He reminded Frank darkly, not wanting the man to get carried away thinking he could dominate him. Gerard was never the one to be dominated. 

“Agh! F – Fuck, okay… Okay! You- you control this!” Frank whimpered, nodding as much as he could with Gerard’s hand still pressing into his jaw. He hadn’t meant to give the impression he was trying to reverse roles; he was only desperate to taste Gerard.

“Please…” Frank whined softly, Gerard’s free hand having come down to still his hips. Frank felt like he would explode if he didn’t get some stimulation and fast. 

“Please, fuck, Gerard _please_ ,” he gasped, sweating and panting. He couldn’t believe how badly he wanted it, how sensitive his skin had become. He half wondered whether his drink had been spiked with some sort of date rape drug, it was the only explanation he could think of and yet his mind was still too clear. He knew it was something else… something darker. 

Gerard licked a long, wet trail down Frank’s sternum, inhaling his scent and tasting the perspiration on his skin. Frank was responding to him beautifully in a way other men simply didn’t. 

All of Gerard’s targets wanted him, all of them would submit to his charms but none of them could do what Frank was doing then. Frank’s body was calling back to Gerard’s; soaking in the pheromones he was releasing and sending out a chemical signal of its own.

Gerard shivered lightly and wondered if this was why he had come back to Frank. He had never so much as felt the desire to sleep with the same man twice, let alone do it. And yet here he was, teasing Frank’s nipples with his tongue whilst his fingers got busy prepping him for sex. 

Frank was beyond himself with pleasure, losing all control over his faculties. Every sense felt like it was being overloaded and he knew he was hypersensitive but he didn’t know why. He had never felt anything like it and he moaned loudly when the first of Gerard’s fingers slid into him without any resistance. 

Gerard tipped his head up and brushed his nose beneath Frank’s jaw, breathing deeply. He felt intoxicated by Frank and he pressed his finger deeper inside him, desperate to make the man release more of the delicious scent that was weaving a spell around him. 

Was Frank not a human? All humans had some sort of pheromones but nothing so strong and delicious as this. Gerard wanted to kiss Frank everywhere and taste all of him. 

Frank was oblivious to the way he was enchanting Gerard, too consumed by his own feelings. He was pressing his ass down, eager to feel more. When a second finger slid inside him without the need for lube he felt some small suspicion that this wasn’t normal. He was slick only from the small amount of sweat on his body but it shouldn’t have been enough for Gerard to prep him so easily. And yet his body opened up to him as if it was natural.

“G – Gerard…” Frank whined, his voice rough with need. His cock was starting to drip with pre cum and he was certain he wasn’t going to be able to stay conscious if he didn’t get fucked _right now_. 

“I know…” Gerard whispered and Frank realised that the older man actually sounded turned on. It was a surprise that made his heart miss a beat but he couldn’t think on it because Gerard was moving him aside to quickly lean off the bed and grab a condom from his jeans. 

Frank watched through half lidded eyes, half tempted to tell Gerard that he was clean and ask him not to use one, but then the man was obviously something of a slut and so he didn’t want to be foolish enough to sleep with him bare.

Gerard rolled the condom on with practiced ease, pulling Frank straight back over to him once he had. They got back into their previous position and Gerard guided Frank firmly so that this time he was lined up with his tip. He spread Frank’s cheeks with his hands and leant up to bite his throat as he pushed up and Frank dropped down at the same time.

“Oh fuck!” Frank cried, whimpering as he covered his mouth with his hand. Gerard pushed into him fast and hard and for a moment, he felt the burn of the stretch, but then it was gone and Frank was sobbing for more. The neighbours were going to hear him for sure. Frank was always embarrassed at the thought of anyone hearing him have sex but right then he almost wanted them to. He wanted everyone to know he was receiving the best sex of his life with the hottest man he had ever met. 

Gerard, just like the time in the car, kept silent. But this time Frank could feel a change in him. His cock was throbbing as much as the first time, but his thrusting wasn’t as controlled and his body was actually quivering. Frank couldn’t believe he could be turning him on so much, and he desperately wanted to make him moan. 

“Fuck Gerard…” Frank himself couldn’t keep quiet; he moaned and gasped every few seconds as he bounced up and down on Gerard’s length. His ass was clenching around him and he could feel Gerard’s nails digging into his hips, but still he kept silent. 

“Oh _God_ , fuck, it’s so good,” Frank whimpered, grinding his hips forward for a moment before dropping them down again. Gerard was pounding up into him without concern, as if it wasn’t blindingly obvious Frank was enjoying himself. 

“Mm… You always have such a dirty mouth?” Gerard growled softly. Frank was relieved that his voice was at least husky and he whimpered as he shook his head, gripping Gerard’s shoulders tight for leverage as he rode his cock. 

“N – No… usually I’m… A - A Saint…” Frank choked out, grinning playfully and Gerard laughed breathlessly back. 

“I don’t believe a fucking word,” He growled, slamming his hips up and holding still when he felt Frank’s ass clench tight around him. He bowed his head into Frank’s neck, inhaling deeply as Frank cried his name and came hard against his stomach. 

Frank felt dizzy as he came, riding through his orgasm and practically sobbing the whole time. His climax had hit him so suddenly he hadn’t realised he was going to cum until he was doing it. Despite it being his second orgasm of the hour he still left a copious amount of cum on Gerard’s stomach and he whimpered as he fell backwards on the bed and Gerard pulled out of him. 

Gerard smirked up at Frank, leaning down to suck Frank’s tip into his mouth and make sure he was completely clean before he sat up and gathered the cum on his stomach with his fingertips and sucked them into his mouth. 

Frank watched him blearily, wondering why Gerard always insisted on licking away the evidence of his climax. He didn’t question him, perhaps it was just his kink, and Frank was too busy crawling over him to bring him to completion too.

Gerard sighed and gently played with Frank’s hair as the mechanic pulled the condom away and took him into his mouth. It didn’t take him long to make Gerard cum, though he didn’t release a single sound as he did. Frank felt a small tinge of disappointment creep through him, knowing he must be doing good to make him cum at all, but he wanted to hear him. He wanted to be able to tell what Gerard particularly liked. 

Frank sighed as he sat up, gently wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as he met Gerard’s gaze. The older man offered a smile; his eyes now back to their original caramel colour. 

“Why don’t you ever… you know… moan?” Frank asked shyly, blushing at the question. Now that he was sated he was struggling to keep up the blunt attitude. He tried his best to though, Gerard seemed to like it. 

Gerard looked surprised over the question at first, having never been asked it before. But then he had never slept with any man enough times for it to become noticeable he supposed. Not that twice was really that many times either; Frank really was proving himself to be different to any other man Gerard had lain with.

“I don’t know.” Gerard finally shrugged. “I suppose I don’t think about it.”

“Don’t think…” Frank trailed off, looking stunned. He considered arguing the point that Gerard shouldn’t have to think about it, it should just happen naturally. But then he supposed it was impossible to know what was natural for Gerard, there was clearly something off about the man. 

“Never mind,” Frank sighed, shaking his head and getting up to pull his clothes back on. 

Gerard watched him curiously, wondering if he had upset him. He kept silent whilst Frank got dressed and smirked quietly to himself. This was a change too. Was he going to be kicked out now? Usually it was him doing the kicking out. 

“Would you like to stay for dinner?” 

The question caught Gerard so off guard his usually neutral expression transformed into a look of bewilderment. Frank turned in time to see it and raised his own eyebrows in surprise, smirking slowly. 

“What? You do eat right?” He asked sarcastically. 

“I… of course,” Gerard shook his head quickly as if trying to clear it before getting off the bed to pull his own clothes on. Usually he would have refused Frank’s offer without hesitation, but he was so surprised by it that he could only nod dumbly. 

“Do you like Italian? I’m half Italian and make the best veggie aubergine parmigiana you’ve ever tasted,” Frank beamed, grabbing his shirt and pulling it on as he walked to the kitchen. Gerard looked stunned still as he followed him, though he was beginning to get over his surprise. 

“Oh?” He asked, cocking his head to the side. “Well that I have to see.” He smirked, guessing it wouldn’t hurt to stay for dinner. It was another rule of his that he never did such things, but he was curious about Frank and wanted to learn more about him. The way his body had sung to him in the bedroom was making him suspicious that Frank was not all he seemed. 

Frank smiled as Gerard joined him in the kitchen and he began placing all the ingredients he needed on the counter. He hadn’t cooked a proper meal in a long time, not really since alcohol had started taking over his life. He supposed he just liked having someone to cook for, and having Gerard round gave him the perfect excuse to impress. 

Besides, he wanted to make sure that Gerard kept coming to see him. Even if they didn’t end up together, the sex was incredible and Frank really needed a friend if he was going to be off work for two months. Perhaps Gerard could be his Saving Grace; Frank was already wondering how the man could be human… maybe he simply wasn’t. Maybe he was his guardian angel or something. 

Frank looked at Gerard curiously out of the corner of his eyes, noticing the way the sun coming through the window bathed the man’s pale skin in gold and he sighed quietly. An angel… It even made sense. 

Gerard stopped looking out the window and turned his head to meet Frank’s gaze, smiling curiously when he saw how Frank was blushing deeply, as if he had been caught doing something he shouldn’t be. Gerard wondered what the man was thinking and turned to lean against the counter, watching intently as Frank made them dinner though neither man said a word.


	4. Not sour, citrus

For two weeks Gerard saw Frank every day. 

It had been a long time since Gerard had seen a man so much, longer than he cared to remember that was for sure. He didn’t like to think about the last man he had slept with more than once, it hadn’t ended well and Gerard had promised he wouldn’t let the same thing happen again. But he saw Frank anyway… 

The town had been hit by a heat wave, and since Frank had no job to go to, and Gerard had nothing better to do, the two men had spent the last fourteen days sweating and panting in Frank’s apartment. They had had sex in every room and on most of the available surfaces, and it really was a lot of fun, even though Gerard hated to admit it. 

Gerard liked to think he could forget about Frank anytime he liked, but Frank was proving himself to be a very quick learner. He seemed to have a talent in finding all the sensitive spots on Gerard’s body and each day got better than the last as far as the sex was concerned. It had been so long since Gerard had had sex with anyone twice that he had forgotten how good it could feel if a person was given the chance to learn about him. 

Even outside of the sex Frank was turning out to be an interesting person to be around. Neither man had talked too deeply about themselves, they kept conversations light and on the surface, and with all the activity they hadn’t needed to go any further than that. 

Gerard wasn’t sure if he considered Frank a friend, or whether he ever would. He didn’t really have _friends_ , he kept mostly to himself, just finding men to sleep with once and then moving on. His brother visited him every month or so, and there were others like them that drifted in and out of Gerard’s life, but for the most part he kept to himself. 

Or at least, he used to keep to himself.

Every time he left Frank’s apartment and the young man would look at him and ask softly whether to expect him the next day he would find himself nodding without even thinking about it. It wasn’t like Gerard had a job or actually did anything important, and so he had no excuse to not agree to see Frank again. He could have just said no, but there was something about Frank that made him not want to. 

The more they had fucked the more Gerard was noticing the incredible scent Frank gave off. The heat wave especially was making the scent more noticeable, and some days he would walk into Frank’s apartment and immediately become enticed by it. Those were the days he arrived later, or had left an item of his clothing behind… the days where he would walk in and know immediately Frank had been masturbating, and his entire body would turn almost wild with the desire to grab Frank and take him right there on the floor. 

When the two men were apart Gerard could at least get some of his senses back. Being around Frank fogged his brain, but it was easier if they weren’t in Frank’s apartment where his smell was just _everywhere_. At least if they went out anywhere Gerard could mostly think straight. 

As it was, Gerard had decided a day apart would be good for both of them. Honestly he was amazed Frank’s body could stand up to all the sex they’d been having. The boy deserved a break, and Gerard’s brother was visiting him and he most certainly couldn’t have Frank with him for that. 

So it came to be, that two weeks after they had been to the bar together, Gerard was sat in his own house, smoking a cigarette and waiting for Michael to arrive. 

Gerard lived in a small, two bedroom house in the centre of the town. It was plainly decorated, with very little character. It was nothing but a place to sleep in as far as Gerard was concerned, but since spending so much time with Frank he had begun to add a little personal touch here and there in the form of scarlet couch cushions and some art work in the hallway.

Apparently the human was wearing off on him.

When Michael arrived he came in through the back door, letting himself into the house and walking through the kitchen and into the hallway without announcing himself. Gerard heard his footsteps, but didn’t move to greet him. 

Michael walked into the living room after a small moment of hesitation. When he appeared in the doorway he was frowning, and he only looked even more bewildered when he saw the red cushions. He stared at them and then at Gerard, quirking an eyebrow at him. 

“You been decorating?” He asked, moving gracefully to sit on the couch, pushing the new cushions to one side. 

“Hardly.” Gerard sniffed, leaning forward to crush his cigarette into the ashtray on the coffee table in front of him. “Would you like a drink?” He asked, already getting up to make one. 

Michael nodded and looked about quietly as Gerard went through to the kitchen and put a pot of coffee on for the two of them. The kitchen was all white and as Gerard waited for the water to boil he looked about and decided he would make a few changes. The house was boring. Frank wouldn’t like it if he ever came over. 

“I like this town you know?” Michael’s voice filtered through from the living room, casual and nonchalant, as if he was continuing a conversation that had already been going on. “I’m thinking about moving here.” 

Gerard rose his eyebrows in surprise, feeling a small tinge of irritation. He and Michael hadn’t lived in the same area for decades and he knew that if he had his little brother around him he wouldn’t be able to get away with half the things he could now. He scowled to himself as he picked up the two mugs now full of black coffee and carried them through to the living room. 

“I thought you liked New York?”

“I do.” Michael shrugged, taking one of the mugs and sipping from it. He smirked at Gerard over the rim, raising his eyebrows at him. “I like it here more though. What’s the matter? Don’t you want me to live here?” He asked innocently, fighting back a chuckle as Gerard frowned at him. 

“I don’t care where you live, but don’t you dare move here and start meddling into my business.” The elder lectured him, making Michael laugh more.

“Oh please, you should know better than to think I’m going to come here and start –” Michael suddenly stopped talking, his smile fading. A frown slowly took its place and he leant forward, gazing intently at Gerard and give one, long sniff. 

“You smell like a human.” He spoke quietly, his voice low in his throat. “Like… One _specific_ human.” Both Gerard and Michael could distinguish different scents, even though they may not always know who or what they belonged to. But Michael could tell for sure that the scent clinging to Gerard’s was skin was from one person, rather than several people which was usually the case with Gerard.

Gerard rose his eyebrows and made his face a perfect, expressionless mask. He shrugged and slowly sipped his coffee, meeting Michael’s gaze.

“What of it?” 

“Are you seeing someone?” Michael demanded, putting down his mug before he launched it at his brother. “Be honest with me.”

“It’s just sex.” Gerard shrugged honestly, ducking when Michael threw the ashtray at him. The thick glass shattered against the wall but Gerard made no remark about it. 

“Damn it Gerard! Damn you! You promised me you would never do this again!” Michael’s face was red with rage. His brown eyes grew dark with disappointment and his hands clenched tight into fists. “You promised me!”

“Oh Michael please, don’t be over dramatic.” Gerard spoke through a heavy sigh. He put his own mug down, rolling his eyes when Michael snarled at him. 

“My name is Mikey.” He snapped, kicking the coffee table so that their mugs rattled. “You promised me Gerard – you _promised_ me.” 

“You’re starting to sound like a human.” Gerard scoffed, leaning back in his seat and shrugging at his disgruntled brother. “I don’t know what you want me to say... Sorry? I tried to resist the boy but he’s… different.” Gerard trailed off, growing thoughtful and some of Mikey’s anger disappeared to be replaced with curiosity. 

“What do you mean, different?” He asked slowly. 

At first Gerard didn’t respond, it wasn’t even possible to tell whether he had heard Mikey or not. He just stared at the wall opposite him, deep in thought. Mikey left him to it, letting him reply in his own time and soon enough Gerard jumped as if startled, and met Mikey’s gaze again. 

“He… Draws me to him.” He finally spoke, biting his lip when Mikey looked at him as if he had gone crazy. “He has this…. This _scent_. It’s as though he has pheromones as strong as ours, and when I’m with him I just can’t resist him.” Gerard shook his head slowly, knowing how crazy it all must sound to his brother. 

“I’ve only been seeing him for two weeks. I didn’t even want to, it just sort of happened. But whenever I’m near him, God, Michael you should smell him.” He groaned, almost growled. He could feel lust starting to ignite inside him at just the thought of Frank’s scent and Mikey was so stunned by it he didn’t even remember to chastise Gerard on using his full name.

“A human with a chemical signal? I’ve never heard of such a thing.” Mikey spoke thoughtfully, his anger now gone. It was clear that Gerard was under some sort of spell and Mikey was now more interested than angry. He picked up his coffee again, trusting himself to drink it without throwing it at his ridiculous brother. 

“Where did you meet him?”

“At an AA meeting.” Gerard smirked and shook his head fondly, even Mikey chuckled a little. “I fucked him in his car and left. I didn’t plan to ever meet him again but… I don’t know what it was. I ended up going back the next week just in the hopes of seeing him again and well, since then we’ve seen each other every day.”

“Fascinating.” Mikey purred, nodding his head and growing serious as he gazed at Gerard. The scent on him seemed stronger now that Mikey was more aware of it and he too could smell that it was not like a normal humans scent. 

“He must make you feel how we make normal humans feel.” He mused, Gerard nodding his agreement. “Is the sex different?”

“Oh Michael, it’s fantastic.” Gerard groaned, thinking back to the previous day and how he had almost moaned out loud when Frank had made him cum. “I’ve been so bored of sex for so long, it feels electric again.” 

“Gerard how many times do I have to tell you? It’s Mikey.” Mikey sighed, rolling his eyes. 

Gerard chuckled softly and shrugged. “You sound so human when you do that.” He scoffed. “I don’t see what the problem is, Michael isn’t an old fashioned name at all.”

“I don’t care. I prefer Mikey, and this is the twenty first century, it fits. So please, just call me that.” He said as coolly as he could. 

Mikey hated his birth name. He had tolerated it for a time, when he didn’t have much choice. But now that their ‘family’ were long since dead, and they lived in an age where ‘Mikey’ didn’t sound out of place he preferred the shortened version.

“Does the human realise that he’s different?”

“I don’t think so.” Gerard shrugged, thinking about it for a moment but he had already considered it several times and he was mostly convinced that Frank was clueless. “He might realise that I’m different, but he seems to think very little of himself. He doesn’t show any sign of knowing what he does to me.” 

Mikey nodded and hummed thoughtfully to himself. He tried to remember if they had ever been told of anything like this, but he was certain they hadn’t. Humans all had a scent, but it was faint and boring. The scent clinging to Gerard was strong, and though it was obviously the scent of a human there was a hint of something special about it. 

“You stink of sex.” Mikey finally spoke, sniffing sharply. “And lust.” He leant forward to put down his mug, his body starting to react to the scent ever so slowly. “Some of it is your scent. Surely if you’ve been fucking him every day you must be sated?” 

Gerard laughed softly and shook his head, eyeing his brother over his mug as he continued to sip his drink. 

“Not at all.” He replied, lounging back in his chair and opening his legs a little wider to deliberately make the scent worse. “If anything he exaggerates my desire. It is all I can think about it.” Gerard’s voice was growing huskier, caused by a mixture of memories of both Frank and Mikey. “And of course, you always make me worse too.”

Mikey sighed and gave Gerard a disapproving look, though he couldn’t argue. As brothers they shared a chemical bond that made it impossible for them to deny each other. They had been each other’s firsts, and even as fully grown men capable of finding their own mates they would still drift back together from time to time when the need was strong. 

“It sounds like you’re infatuated with this human.” Mikey pointed out, smiling softly. “Do you think he could be your one?” He asked hopefully, though his smile disappeared when Gerard snorted in distaste. 

“Not this again.” Gerard groaned, rolling his eyes and feeling some of the lust he had been feeling disappear with his irritation. “How many times do I have to tell you Michael, there is no such thing as ‘the one’, we’re creatures of hell we don’t feel _love_.” 

“Always so dramatic.” Mikey sighed, shaking his head. “I’ll believe in hell the day I see it.” He scoffed, hating to talk about such things. He didn’t know how people like he or Gerard came to be on the Earth, or what they really were. He knew they weren’t human, and he knew what the humans would call them, but whether that made them demon or not he didn’t know. 

“If I can love, you can.” He added softly, sighing and bowing his head when Gerard snapped at him. 

“Just because you can go steady with one partner doesn’t mean you love her.” Gerard snarled, knowing it hurt Mikey to hear him say it but he couldn’t stop the flux of anger that hit him. He didn’t know why it made him so angry to think about Mikey and the woman he claimed to love, but it simply made his skin crawl. 

“When you put a demon baby inside her will she know the true meaning of love then?” Gerard scoffed, laughing coldly and making Mikey flush red with his own anger. “If you loved her so much you wouldn’t damn her like this.” 

“Do not talk to me about damning anyone.” Mikey snapped, his eyes flashing darkly as he looked at Gerard and he half rose from his seat. “Not when you drove a man to take his own life with how you manipulated him, or do you not remember? Perhaps I should refresh your memory of that night, before you cause the same thing with this new human of yours!” 

“Do not come into my home and lecture me brother!” Gerard snarled, rising from his own seat and raising his hand as if he was going to strike Mikey from across the coffee table. “If you come here only to argue with me then you may as well leave.”

“I didn’t come here to argue with you.” Mikey sighed, relaxing back into his seat as he willed his anger away with a supreme amount of effort. 

Gerard had always been hot tempered, but Mikey was able to control his anger for the most part. Their parents hadn’t known what to do with their sons, who by the ages of ten and thirteen had begun to feel their unholy urges and would sneak into one another’s arms at night. They had been kicked out of the family home and condemned to hell within a year, and even though he had been the youngest it had been Mikey who had to take care of them both. Gerard had simply been too full of anger, and so it fell to Mikey to control his own rage and find a place for them to hide and survive together. 

Centuries had passed since then, but it was still Mikey who knew how to calm himself down, and he knew when a fight was not worth engaging in. 

“I came here to give you some news.” Mikey spoke softly, looking at Gerard with gentle eyes. Over time he had learnt the best ways to calm Gerard down too, and he held his brothers gaze until reluctantly, Gerard too sat down. 

Gerard continued to scowl at Mikey as he took his seat, but he didn’t say anything. He waited for Mikey to tell him what his news was, hoping it was something worth hearing but he knew better than to expect good news from his brother. 

“I know you are not going to approve of this.” Mikey sighed when Gerard remained petulant and silent. “But please, for my sake, just try to be supportive.” 

“I don’t like the sound of this…” Gerard spoke slowly, his voice tense from how he struggled to keep himself from shouting. He looked at Mikey with dark, suspicious eyes, trying to brace himself for whatever Mikey was going to say but the news still hit him like a wrecking ball.

“I’ve asked Daisy to marry me.” Mikey held up his hand quickly when Gerard immediately opened his mouth to speak, his face a picture of horror. “And she said yes.” Mikey hurried to finish before Gerard gave a cry of disgust. 

“You have got to be joking! Michael that is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard –”

“Well it makes me very happy.” Mikey interrupted, frowning at Gerard though his reaction was more than predictable. “I understand why you think it’s crazy, but please Gerard, as my brother I beg you just accept this.” He pleaded softly, imploring Gerard with his eyes but the elder was not to be so easily won over. 

“No! No I can’t – first the name change and now this!?” Gerard cried, running a hand through his hair. He felt like he was going to explode from the emotions rushing through him, unable to believe what was happening. 

“We’ve been alive for over three hundred years and you think _Daisy_ is the woman to marry? I’m sure you’re going to do it in a bleeding church as well aren’t you?” Gerard gasped, looking to the ceiling as if it would somehow give him strength. “I can’t… I just can’t believe this. What about when she ages huh? Do you not think she might notice sooner or later that you don’t age? Can’t die? You love your modern movies, I’m certain there must be a vampire film somewhere that warns you away from this kind of thing!” 

“There is.” Mikey nodded, chuckling slightly, somewhat amused by Gerard’s reaction though he knew there was nothing funny about any of the things he was saying. “But we’re not vampires. And anyway, I plan to tell Daisy the truth, when the time is right.”

“Oh well, that settles it then.” Gerard laughed cruelly, looking at Mikey and shaking his head. “As soon as you tell her there’ll be a divorce, or you’ll be sent to a mental institution. Or we’ll both be hunted down and killed, that is if we don’t kill her first – really Michael you haven’t thought this through.” 

“Actually I have.” Mikey scowled, his laughter dying and he sighed as he got to his feet, looking at Gerard with disappointment. “I’ve thought about it constantly for two years, and I’ve made up my mind. I’m making Daisy my wife, and if you won’t support me then fine.” 

Mikey turned to leave, heading out into the hall and to the front door this time, knowing that if he stayed they would only continue to argue and he had promised himself on the way that he would leave before that happened.

Gerard hesitated before following him, though he stopped in the living room doorway and simply watched as Mikey left, silently seething to himself. 

“Yeah well…” Gerard paused, trying to think of something cutting to say but in the end all that came out was, “Well, Daisy is a stupid name anyway!”

Mikey scoffed to himself, muttering ‘childish’ under his breath though he didn’t say anything else about it. He slammed the door shut as he stepped out onto the drive, making sure he used enough strength to make the door rattle in its frame before he strode away down the street.

Back in the house Gerard was still reeling. He felt tempted to run after Mikey and fight things out, but after three centuries he had matured enough to resist. It took all of his strength to do so though and soon he was ripping his jacket off the back of a chair to go to Frank’s instead. The human would make him feel better he was sure. 

 

Frank was enjoying his day, and taking advantage of the fact that Gerard wasn’t coming over to get some cleaning done. He hadn’t spring cleaned his apartment in… well, ever. He had never had the time, when he wasn’t working he was partying and when he wasn’t partying he was drinking alone. But when he had woke up that morning he had just felt the need to tidy up a little…

The tidying had soon turned to a run to the store to buy every cleaning product he could think of and by the afternoon he was on his knees scrubbing the bathroom floor. 

It had occurred to Frank, halfway through plumping up the sofa cushions, that for the two weeks he had been seeing Gerard he hadn’t been drunk at all. He hadn’t been completely t-total, some evenings he and Gerard would enjoy a glass of wine together and they’d added a cheeky glug of whisky into their coffee once or twice, but never had they got any more than tipsy and more than that, Frank hadn’t felt the desire to. 

The realisation had hit Frank like a ton of bricks and for five minutes he had stood, sofa cushions in hand, thinking back to when he had been given his two months off work and trying to make sure he hadn’t forgotten about any drunken night. He soon became certain though that he really was doing better, and that having Gerard around was actually improving his drinking problem. Frank didn’t even think it could be called a problem anymore.

Though he knew that he had a long way to go before he could be completely sure that he would never slip back into his alcoholic ways Frank at least felt positive about recovery for the first time in his life, and that alone had made him feel the need to spruce up his apartment. He saw it as not only cleaning his home, but cleaning his entire life too and with each room he left sparkling he felt happier and happier.

By the time Gerard knocked on the door he had finished attacking the bathroom and every room in the apartment was looking better than ever. He was intent on cleaning all the windows next and was considering going out again for some new curtains and little things to make the place feel nicer, but as soon as he opened the door to Gerard that plan swiftly left his mind. 

“Gee? Hey! I wasn’t expecting you.” Frank beamed, thrilled to see the older man and he stepped aside to let him in with a wide smile. He was so happy to see him that at first he didn’t notice the foul mood he was in, but he soon became aware of it when Gerard stepped into the flat and immediately gave a scoff. 

“It smells in here.” He sniffed, looking about with a scowl. “It’s all… sour.” He complained, wrinkling up his nose. He loved Frank’s apartment because it smelt so strongly of the human, he had been relying on that to make him feel better, but it didn’t smell like Frank anymore.

“It’s not sour, it’s citrus.” Frank pouted sulkily, taking Gerard’s jacket from him. “I’ve been cleaning.”

“Why?” Gerard looked about the apartment with a look of distaste. “It was fine before. It smelt like you.” 

“Well… Now it’s clean.” Frank shrugged, oddly touched by how Gerard liked his smell, which he assumed was what he was saying. He had never seen the man look so sulky before, it was like looking at a toddler about to throw a tantrum and Frank didn’t know whether to be amused or not. 

“Are you okay? You look kinda…” Frank trailed off, biting his lip. Gerard was always so calm and emotionless that Frank didn’t know what to say or do, he hadn’t learnt how to react to Gerard acting like this because… he had never done it before. 

“My brother is getting married.” Gerard finally stopped glaring at the apartment and instead turned to look at Frank, raising his eyebrows at him. He was still pouting sullenly and Frank tried not to smirk as he quirked an eyebrow at him.

“Oh?” He cocked his head to the side, measuring Gerard’s expression for a moment. “Is that… bad?” 

“It’s terrible.” Gerard strode towards Frank as he spoke and seized him by the shoulders. He pushed him into the wall as Frank opened his mouth to speak, and then cut his words off by pushing his tongue into his mouth in a deep, searing kiss. 

Frank had time only to gasp in shock before Gerard was assaulting his mouth, his jacket falling from his hands and onto the floor.

Frank let Gerard kiss him, relaxing after just a moment and sinking against the wall as he draped his arms around the taller man’s neck. He surrendered to him as he always did and let Gerard’s tongue probe his mouth whilst his breathing grew heavier and heavier, and his knees weaker and weaker. 

By the time they pulled apart Frank was trying to blame the cleaning products for how dizzy he was feeling, hating how easily Gerard overpowered and seduced him. He was half hard already and any hope of finishing his cleaning was gone, all he wanted was to mess up the bed again. 

“I… I don’t understand.” Frank confessed breathlessly, forcing his eyes open to look blearily up at Gerard. “What has this got to do with your brother?” 

“I’m making myself feel better.” Gerard growled in response, not liking to be interrupted. He just needed to breathe in Frank’s scent and fuck him into whatever surface was closest. He at least had the decency to drag Frank away from the front door first though, tumbling down onto the living room rug instead. 

“Okay… So I’m just your booty call?” Frank smirked, hardly surprised. He squeaked in shock when Gerard suddenly ducked down and bit the side of his neck hard enough to leave little indents from his teeth. 

“Take it as a compliment.” Gerard grumbled into Frank’s neck, running his tongue over the mark he had left whilst his hands made quick work of the buttons and zipper of Frank’s clothes. He yanked at the fabric until each garment had been tossed aside and Frank was naked and bewildered on the floor. 

“Slow down there tiger, you’re so frantic.” Frank gasped, laughing quietly to himself. He didn’t mind at all, but after only having opened the door all of three minutes ago he was struggling to keep up. His cock was having no trouble though, Gerard’s amazing scent overpowering him as it always did and making him hard before his underwear was even removed. 

“You talk too much.” Gerard scolded, kneeling up to yank his own clothes off. “I just need this.” He insisted, wrestling with his jeans for a moment until they were across the other side of the room and the condom in the pocket was safely in hand. 

Frank just gawped at Gerard in silence then, amazed at what he was seeing. 

Gerard had never seemed so passionate before. Frank had never been certain whether he hid his emotions or whether he simply didn’t feel any, but whichever it was Gerard was definitely feeling something then, and wasn’t able to hide it either. He looked _human_.

Frank kept silent, just watching and quietly taking it in. Gerard was kissing his neck again and rapidly moving down his body, breathing deeply the whole time and working his amazing tongue around Frank’s nipples and all the sensitive spots he had found over the two weeks they had spent together. 

Frank was struggling to concentrate with the pleasure that was sparking over his skin, though he tried as hard as he could. He wanted to understand why Gerard was so emotional, but he lost control of his mind when Gerard’s mouth swept down over his erection and his tongue curled about the tip; it was impossible to think straight after that. 

Gerard kept up a relentless pace as he sucked Frank’s cock and spread his ass open with his fingers. He wasn’t interested in taking his time, he wanted to ramp up their lust as quickly as possible so he could drown in the delicious scent Frank gave off when he was aroused. His own body was pumping out pheromones to seduce his prey, and to his delight Frank’s body responded likewise. 

No one could rile Gerard like Mikey could. His little brother was the only person in the world to ever make him angry, or jealous, or out of his mind with lust. The marriage between Mikey and Daisy would be the final nail in the coffin that had become their relationship, in Gerard’s mind at least. And yet Frank was unlike anyone Gerard had ever met, the only one who had come close to matching the lust Mikey could inspire, and Gerard needed him then.

Frank was moaning and writhing about in incredible bliss when Gerard suddenly moved back and flipped him onto his front without warning. Frank gasped and gave an embarrassing squeak of surprise, his knees getting carpet burn from how roughly Gerard yanked him up onto them so that his ass was in the air and his arms were stretched out on the floor. He wriggled quickly to get into a comfortable position and gripped the carpet tight, the material bunching in his fingers just as Gerard began to push into him.

“Fuck!” Frank gasped, squeezing his eyes shut and clenching his teeth as he felt the burn of the stretch. Gerard could move fast when he wanted to and though Frank could feel that he was wearing a condom and that his cock was slick with lube he had no idea how he had managed to do things so quickly. Or maybe he had done it with one hand when Frank had been stuck in blowjob bliss… Either way, he had a skill that far surpassed any other lover of Franks.

Gerard kept up his punishing pace the entire time he fucked Frank. The room was starting to smell more like sex than cleaning products and Gerard was finally beginning to calm down from his anger. His lust on the other hand was climbing higher than ever and he gripped Frank’s hips tight, pulling him back into each desperate thrust. 

Frank’s mouth hung open as he gasped and moaned, able to do nothing but grip at the carpet and tense his back muscles so that he didn’t fall right on his face. The hard pounding was creating a mixture of pain and pleasure, and it first he wasn’t sure he was able to stand it, but then to his amazement he could feel his orgasm rising. His ass felt hot and swollen, and his cock hung heavy and flush between his legs. He could feel it twitching and lifting, and he knew that any minute he was going to explode. 

“G – Gerard… Oh, fuck, Jesus… Fuck! Gerard!” Frank flung his head back with a ragged gasp, screaming his release as he came hard over the carpet. Even his ejaculation felt too powerful to be comfortable and he sobbed through it, pressing back against Gerard’s cock and begging him not to stop. 

“Fuck…” Gerard gasped breathlessly, not letting up one bit even when Frank’s knees spread apart and he collapsed down slightly, twitching and trembling with his cheek pressed into the rug. He was whimpering ever so softly, and his ass was quivering around Gerard’s length. 

Gerard squeezed his eyes shut and dug his nails into Frank’s hips, breathing deeply through his mouth until he could practically taste Frank’s scent. He smelt musky and used, and Gerard licked his lips slowly, tasting the salt of perspiration on them. He was so overcome by the different things attacking his senses that he started moaning without even realising it, and when he reached his own climax it was with a long, loud groan of Frank’s name.

Even in his half delirious state Frank was aware of the sound and he weakly opened his eyes half way, his mouth already open but his eyes lit up in surprise at the sound of Gerard moaning his name in pleasure. His softened cock nearly livened up again at the sound and he gave a quiet groan of his own in response. 

Gerard seemed oblivious even when he finally pulled out of Frank and knelt back on his haunches to roll off the condom and toss it into the bin. He was panting softly, but he finally felt relaxed and he grinned sheepishly at Frank when the young mechanic rolled onto his back and looked at him weakly from his spot on the rug. 

“G – Gerard… What the hell just happened?” He breathed, still panting himself though he was beginning to chuckle. “You should get pissed at your brother more often, you stop acting like a statue.” He teased lightly, and to his delight Gerard grinned back. 

“I don’t mean to act like a statue. It just takes a lot to get me going.” He shrugged, struggling up to his feet before offering Frank a hand and helping him up too. He caught him when he stumbled and supported him with an arm around his waist, pulling him to the sparkling bathroom to shower. 

“Hmm…” Frank smiled, feeling like he and Gerard were connecting at last. It certainly didn’t feel like just sex anymore and he gazed curiously at Gerard as he turned on the shower. “So… Are you going to tell me what’s so terrible about your brother getting married?” He asked softly. 

Gerard tensed slightly, hesitating with his hand still on the knob of the shower. He considered Frank’s question for a moment, though he didn’t want to think about Mikey at all right then. In the end he simply shrugged and turned to look at Frank with his emotionless mask back in place. 

“It’s a family matter.” He said coolly, refusing to say any more about it and even as they showered and washed each other Frank was disappointed to feel as though the bond they had experienced for that sparkling moment had disappeared and they were back to nothing but two strangers who fucked because they had nothing else to do. Gerard’s face once again a perfect, emotionless mask.


	5. Old habits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for such the long wait for this chapter guys, I'm right in the middle of my (last ever!) exams and things have been kind of hectic. Only one more exam to go though and I will (hopefully) be done with uni forever yaaay - in the meantime lets celebrate early with a new chapter!   
> xo

Gerard looked at Frank with curious eyes from his spot in the bed. He was frowning slightly, watching his young lover get dressed into a pair of black jeans and a white button up shirt. He had spent the last half an hour trying to convince Frank to get back into bed, but even whilst using every bit of seductive power he held, Frank wasn’t budging. He had showered, eaten breakfast and was now almost ready to leave. 

“I don’t see why you’re even going.” Gerard spoke up, saying the same thing he had been saying for the last thirty minutes. “You’ve been doing fine haven’t you?”

“Mhmm.” Frank smiled, shrugging as he grabbed a black blazer from his wardrobe and pulled it on. “That doesn’t mean I shouldn’t still go though. The support is there for the long term, and I shouldn’t give it up the minute things seem brighter.” 

“Really.” Gerard purred, raising an eyebrow at Frank and rolling onto his front to face him properly. “Since when did you start listening to that bullshit they feed you?” 

Frank laughed softly and shrugged, giving himself a once over in the mirror and smiling. He thought he looked better than ever; healthier. His skin was starting to regain its natural tan and his eyes sparkled with a new life. He had been seeing Gerard for a month now, and it was starting to show. 

“Well… To be honest, it’s your fault.” He shrugged, smirking at Gerard as he turned round. The older man looked at him in quiet astonishment before he frowned. 

“How is it my fault?” He demanded, his frown disappearing when Frank leant down to softly kiss him on the lips. 

“You’re a good influence on me.” He grinned, turning away to grab his wallet and car keys before heading to the door as Gerard gave a snort of disgust. 

“I seriously doubt that.” He grumbled, flipping round to watch as Frank practically skipped to the bedroom door, stopping just outside it to blow Gerard another kiss. 

“I’ll only be gone just over an hour. You better still be naked when I get back.” Frank left with a parting wink and Gerard sighed as he pouted sulkily to himself. He waited until he heard the front door slam before groaning and flopping onto his back.

With Frank gone Gerard found himself bored and alone, left with nothing to do but wonder about his lover. 

Even after a month Gerard wasn’t sure why he was still seeing Frank so often. Nor was he sure why he was beginning to act so… human around him. His emotions were getting more prominent with each day that passed, and though he still found it laughably easy to seduce Frank, the mechanic was the only human to ever be able to resist Gerard’s charms when he wanted, as he had done that morning. 

Gerard was beginning to suspect that Frank was not a mere human. He had been wondering over it for some time, but now he was almost certain. Frank was just too different from other humans, and yet Gerard couldn’t imagine what else he could be. He knew of every creature, mythical or otherwise, and Frank did not fit the description of anything he knew of. 

Gerard ached to talk to Mikey about it. His brother was smart, smarter than he was for sure, and if anyone could know what Frank was, then Mikey would. But Gerard hadn’t talked to him for the two weeks that had passed since he had heard about his plan to marry. 

Sometimes whole months could pass without the brothers talking to each other, but this time it was different. This time it wasn’t because they were busy, or because their minds were elsewhere. This time Gerard knew it was a conscious effort on both their parts to ignore the other. 

Gerard supposed that ignoring Mikey could be part of why he was feeling so emotional. In the three hundred years of his life he had never ignored his brother, or tried to avoid him. And part of him wanted to call him right then and apologise for growing angry at him. But he knew if he did that then he would have no choice other than to accept Mikey’s decision to marry Daisy and Gerard simply couldn’t do it. 

Sighing to himself Gerard sat up and ran a hand through his hair. Something would have to be done. He would have to go and see Mikey and talk to him face to face. Half the problem was that they hadn’t had chance to really discuss the marriage when Mikey had broken the news to him. He supposed that was partly his fault for getting so angry, but he was in control of his anger now and he needed to talk it over if he was ever going to move on with his life. 

Gerard slipped out of the bed and walked through the apartment to the bathroom. He turned on the shower and glanced in the mirror for a moment. He scowled at his sparkling eyes and glowing pale skin, not wanting to believe that there was any difference in himself but there was, and he knew it was because of Frank. He would never accept it though, Frank was a human, he wasn’t important. No human was.

Gerard tried to plan what he would say to Mikey as he showered and washed the scent of sex from his skin, hoping that his little brother wouldn’t notice how Frank was affecting him. No doubt if he did then he would want to talk about it, but Gerard didn’t want to discuss Frank at all. He wanted to discuss Daisy. 

Gerard sighed and closed his eyes, washing his hair and rinsing soapy bubbles down the drain. 

Daisy… How was it that such a woman could snare his brother’s interest? She wasn’t any different to any other human, not in Gerard’s eyes anyway. There was nothing particularly special about her, and yet for some unknown reason Mikey thought he loved her. It was beyond confusing. 

Gerard shut off the water once he was finishing cleaning himself. He was frowning still, trying to figure out how Mikey could possibly want to marry Daisy, but he knew the only way to find out was to talk to him about it. Though, Gerard wasn’t sure he was in the mood to listen to his brothers love sick ramblings. 

Gerard felt torn as he got dried and dressed in Frank’s bedroom, not sure whether he was doing the right thing by seeing Mikey. Deep down he knew he desperately wanted to, but he was stubborn and there were plenty of silly little reasons that he could think of not to go. 

It was testament then to his love for Mikey that he soon found himself sat on a train to New York City, pretending to be interested in reading a newspaper and feeling his heart race at the thought of showing up on Mikey’s doorstep unannounced. There was a time when Mikey would have been able to sense him coming, but Gerard wasn’t sure if they still shared that connection anymore, not now a woman was coming between them. He supposed he would just have to find out.

 

There was only one new person at the AA meeting that afternoon, a woman who looked far too attractive and well groomed to be an alcoholic. Most of the men in the circle were drooling over her before she even opened her mouth, and of course Paul forgot about the other members of the group in favour of asking the new woman everything he could think of.

Frank couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed, sat in his usual place in the circle and twiddling his thumbs, waiting for Paul to move on and finally ask him how he was doing. 

Frank was trying to smile politely along with everyone else and pretend that he was actually interested in what the new woman was saying, but really her soft words were falling on deaf ears.

He wanted to be called on to talk so that he could proudly announce that he was finally working on his addiction. He wanted to smugly tell everyone that he was actually seeing the gorgeous man that had come to the session four weeks ago, and watch all their faces fill with jealousy. 

He wanted everyone to know that he was doing better.

No one so much as looked at him though. 

Frank huffed softly and finally gave up on his fake smiling and instead let his annoyed expression show through. Not that anyone noticed that either though. Only the new woman looked at him, and even then it was only whilst she was glancing round at the group in general. 

“Fascinating, just fascinating.” Paul gushed when she finally stopped talking, his face the picture of awe. Frank had no idea if the woman had said anything impressive because he hadn’t been listening, but from the looks she was receiving he guessed she had something a little more interesting than the usual mundane bullshit he listened to every week.

“Well, now that we’ve heard Ava’s story, does anyone have any questions?” Paul addressed the group at large, smiling encouragingly at everyone. 

Usually when a new person stopped talking about themselves they would receive one or two questions at most, but it was no surprise to Frank when Ava was assaulted with a tidal wave of questions, most of which had nothing to do with her supposed alcohol addiction. 

Frank sighed and tipped his head back, growing more and more irritated when he saw the clock behind him ticking and realised the hour session was almost up. He realised with a sinking feeling in his stomach that he wasn’t going to be able to share his happiness that session, and that he would have been better off just staying in bed with Gerard. 

People were still asking Ava questions when the session timed out. Paul hadn’t noticed the time, and no one else seemed to have either except for Frank who made a point of it by scraping his chair back noisily and walking to the back of the room to the free coffee. 

“Oh! Oh look at the time, I’m sorry guys and girls I’m afraid we’ve used up the whole hour.” Paul gasped, as if this was a terrible tragedy and Frank rolled his eyes to himself as he turned his back on the group. 

Determined to not have wasted a whole hour Frank took the best looking donut and picked up a cup of water, the coffee still as disgusting looking as ever. 

Paul was wrapping up the session with an unfelt apology about not having time to get round to everyone else, citing that Ava was obviously just too interesting as his excuse. That seemed to sit just fine with everyone else, but Frank continued to scowl over at the group as he bit into his donut and watched everybody getting up to walk over to the table he was stood beside. 

Ava was smiling softly as Paul talked to her, but it soon became clear she was not as interested in him as he was with her. She nodded to a few things he said, though it was obvious she wasn’t listening and all too soon she was walking away, leaving Paul still talking to himself for a second before his face fell.

Frank almost chuckled then, glad to see that Ava wasn’t going to pay any attention to the group leader’s blatant attempts at flirting. 

Ava was grinning warmly at someone as she approached the coffee table, as if she had just seen an old friend. Frank looked over his shoulder to see who it was, only to find there was no one behind him and that Ava was smiling at - 

“Hello.” 

“Uh… Hi.” Frank blinked stupidly at Ava as she stopped in front of him, her long legs making her tower three feet above Frank, each one like a mile as Frank awkwardly tipped his head back to meet her gaze. 

“I’m Ava, I’m afraid I didn’t catch your name.” Ava offered Frank her hand, her perfectly manicured nails long and sharp, scratching against his palm when he shook it. 

“It’s Frank.” Frank blushed, staring in awe at the dazzling blue eyes looking down on him that perfectly the matched the strawberry blonde hair that fell right down to Ava’s waist. He had no idea why she had chosen him to talk to, but there was a look in her eyes that told him she hadn’t made a simply random choice. 

“Frank… It’s nice to meet you.” She purred, her painted pink lips pressing into a soft pout. “I hope you don’t mind me being forthright, but I believe you know a friend of mine.” 

“Oh?” All of Frank’s earlier irritation had disappeared to be replaced with a feeling of awe. He was gazing up at Ava with a stunned expression, a strange feeling coming over him. It was like just gazing into her unnaturally beautiful face was charming him beyond comprehension, he would have even considered it seduction if he wasn’t so gay that he felt zero sexual desire. He wondered fleetingly if it was possible to be seduced without feeling sexually attracted to someone, and then realised suddenly that Ava was as charming as Gerard. 

“You know Gerard?” He gasped, fairly certain no two people could be so unnaturally seductive and not know each other. 

Ava rose her eyebrows in surprise, smiling curiously. “Yes. Has he mentioned me?” She asked, frowning when Frank shook his head. “Oh… Then how –”

“Just a hunch.” Frank shrugged quickly, blushing. He quickly looked around and saw that everyone was watching them, or rather, they were watching Ava and he suddenly felt very exposed. 

Ava followed Frank’s gaze and smirked softly, turning her eyes back on him and gently touching his hand. “Why don’t we go somewhere more private?” She whispered, the offer never one to be turned down and she grinned when Frank nodded and eagerly followed her out of the community hall. 

Frank was keen to get away from the people watching them, though he got the impression Ava was feeling smug, probably assuming she was weaving a spell over him but Frank was not so easily tempted by women. If it had been Gerard things might be different… In fact they would be different. They’d be fucking in his car within ten minutes if it was Gerard. 

“How do you know Gerard?” Frank asked as he headed towards his Chevelle, Ava following him gracefully, keeping up even in her dainty shoes thanks to her long legs. 

“I could ask you the same thing.” She smirked, looking at Frank curiously. 

She had been watching the young man for a few days; watched him with Gerard and even though he had showered before the meeting she could still smell Gerard’s scent coming off of him in waves. All she had seen was pointing to one thing, but she couldn’t believe that Frank and Gerard could really have the relationship the facts were all pointing to. 

“Gerard and I are old friends.” She purred when Frank didn’t say anything and she realised she had to work a little harder to make him open up. “We go back a long way, but I know he’s been spending a lot of time with you recently. I came here today so I could find you. I want to know what you are to him.” 

“How do you know we’ve been spending a lot of time together?” Frank asked, stopping outside his car and turning to face Ava as he stood by the driver side door. He wanted to get back home to Gerard, but he wasn’t about to offer Ava a ride. Now that he was beginning to understand that her charm was the same as Gerard’s he was finding it easier to ignore and he wasn’t sure he trusted her. 

“I told you, we’re close friends.” Ava shrugged but Frank only frowned at her. 

“So you’ve been talking to him?” He asked, watching Ava closely but it was impossible to read her face. She could mask her expressions as effortlessly as Gerard. “If you’re so interested why don’t you ask him?” Frank demanded, backing into his car door and fishing in his pocket to find his key. 

Ava looked at Frank with a calm, neutral expression. She wasn’t sure why her charm offensive wasn’t working, usually just a look alone would have a man hooked on her strings, no matter their sexuality or preference. But the weak hold she had managed to secure over Frank at first had completely gone by now and this was something she was unused to. 

“I think I will.” She spoke slowly after a moment, flashing a pleasant smile at Frank but even he could see the darkness in her eyes and he watched as she walked slowly away from him, heading back towards the hall. 

Frank stood by the car for a long moment, just watching as Ava disappeared. All of his suspicions that Gerard wasn’t entirely human came back to him then and he was suddenly certain of it. Whatever Gerard was, Ava was too and Frank wasn’t foolish enough to not realise he was lucky that Ava had left him for now. 

He shuddered and turned to his car, unlocking it quickly and getting into the driver’s seat. He didn’t know what Gerard was, but he felt strangely calm at the thought of him not being human. He would at least be able to ask him as soon as he got home, and he was determined to not let the subject drop until he got the truth. 

 

“Gerard!?” Mikey’s face was a picture of complete surprise as he strode through the reception of his apartment block to meet his brother. “I was certain I was misreading things when I sensed you arriving.” He breathed, stunning Gerard by pulling him into a tight embrace as soon as he was close enough. 

“I hope you don’t mind me just showing up on you like this.” Gerard sighed, unable to stop himself from smiling quietly as Mikey hugged him. He had been convinced he would get a less than warm welcome when he arrived, and it was relief to feel with each of his senses that Mikey wasn’t still angry at him. 

“Of course I don’t mind! I’m so happy you decided to drop by, come on lets go up.” He beamed, taking Gerard to the stairs that led up to the different floors. 

Mikey loved inner city living, and through the centuries he had lived in some of the most renowned cities in the world. He hadn’t been too impressed with New York to begin with, but as time had passed he had found himself drawn back to the city and he now lived in an expensive, twentieth floor apartment in the centre of the city.

“So, did you come to apologise?” Mikey asked brightly as he and Gerard climbed the stairs from floor to floor. They didn’t experience fatigue like humans did and neither man was out of breath even as they reached the tenth floor. 

“I already know you did by the way.” Mikey added with a smirk, glancing at Gerard over his shoulder. “I can practically feel your intense regret at our argument.” He purred, drifting his hand along the stair rail.

Gerard laughed softly under his breath and shrugged, following Mikey along the stairs. “I wouldn’t go that far brother, but yes, I was hoping we could make peace today. I hate being angry at you.” 

“Me too.” Mikey agreed instantly, sighing and looking over his shoulder at Gerard again. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said, and I was wrong to storm out the way I did. We should talk about my marriage properly – I really want your blessing on this.” He mewled, sensing Gerard grow tense for a moment and feeling surprise when he managed to reign it back and relax again. 

“I doubt you’ll be able to convince me you’re doing the right thing Michael.” Gerard admitted, knowing that it wouldn’t surprise Mikey to hear that. “But I do agree we need to talk properly about it. I want to understand why you’re choosing to do this, really I do.” 

“I’m glad.” Mikey nodded, finally reaching the twentieth floor. He pushed open the door that led out into the main corridor and led Gerard along it until he reached his apartment. “Daisy is only out shopping with friends right now, she won’t be much longer than an hour so we don’t have much time to discuss it. Think you can keep hold of your temper long enough?” He asked with a playful smirk, pushing open the door to his apartment. 

Gerard scowled at Mikey though he didn’t really feel angry. He knew he was being teased and he sighed as he rolled his eyes and followed his brother into the living space. “I’ll do my best.” He drawled sarcastically, taking off his jacket and sitting down on the sofa whilst Mikey went into the kitchen to find them a bottle of wine. 

Gerard took the time to look around the living room, noticing with a strange lurch in his stomach how different it was to his own lifeless home. Mikey’s apartment was full of soft complimentary colours and quirky evidence of both his and Daisy’s personality. The mantelpiece and windowsill both had a line of silver frames holding photographs of the happy couple either alone together or with friends and family. Mikey was living the kind of life humans all aspired to, but Gerard just didn’t understand the appeal. 

Mikey caught Gerard staring curiously at the photographs as he walked back into the living room, wine in hand. He smiled softly to see the expression on his brother’s face and sighed as he sat opposite him, pulling the cork out of the bottle. 

“You still smell just like that human boy you’ve shacked up with.” He purred innocently, pouring Gerard a glass first and handing it to him before filling his own glass with the deep red wine. 

“I have not shacked up with anyone.” Gerard replied coolly, sipping his wine and sinking back into the sofa cushions to relax. “I’m sorry if his scent offends you.” 

“It doesn’t.” Mikey laughed, shaking his head fondly and smiling as he leant forward, his arms on his knees and wine glass resting on his leg. “I just wonder why it’s so hard for you to understand how I can spend so much time with a human, when you’re doing the exact same thing.” 

“Frank and I have seen each other for a month, its hardly the same thing.” Gerard scoffed, though he realised as he said it that it really was a big deal for him. He didn’t see any man twice, but Frank he had now seen for thirty days in a row. No wonder Mikey was smirking at him with a smug look on his face. 

“I’m not here to talk about me.” Gerard quickly interjected before Mikey could make a comment. “You said we don’t have much time, so get talking quickly. Try to convince me that marrying this woman is the best option for you.” 

Mikey rolled his eyes with a sigh, used to Gerard’s abrupt attitude but he still didn’t like it. He considered his words carefully, sipping his wine for a long moment and looking about the apartment he shared with his fiancé, finding inspiration in it before he met Gerard’s gaze again.

“Okay, well first off, I never said it was the _best_ option for me. I think we both know I’m taking a huge risk-”

“Well I’m glad you at least realise that.” Gerard interrupted with a snort. 

Mikey glared at his brother, waiting for Gerard to look suitably apologetic before he continued. 

“The truth is Gee, and I know you won’t like it, I just… Love her.” Mikey paused then, not sure how he could explain such a thing to his brother. Mikey didn’t think Gerard had ever loved anyone, other than him, and as brothers it just wasn’t the same thing as the love for another, even if they had spent their early years finding intimacy only with each other. 

“Daisy is… She’s just amazing.” Mikey smiled, his eyes growing soft. “When I’m with her I’m happy. It’s not like butterflies or fireworks like humans talk about. It’s just…” Mikey hesitated, struggling for the right word. “It’s just peaceful.” He finally decided, smiling as he shrugged at Gerard. “It’s like my entire life is in a storm and I don’t even realise it until she’s with me and she makes it all calm again. She soothes me in ways you can’t understand.” 

“You’re right, I can’t.” Gerard nodding, gulping back his wine before helping himself to the bottle. He refilled his glass and then sat back again, feeling strangely upset and angry over Mikey’s words. He wasn’t sure if it was because they just made him sound so ridiculous, and Gerard hated people who were love-sick. Or whether it was just because he used to make Mikey feel like that, and now some human woman with a ridiculous name had taken his place. 

“I can’t understand the way she makes you feel, and I don’t think I ever will.” Gerard shrugged, keeping hold of his temper with a supreme amount of effort. “But even so, even though she makes you feel like that, can’t you just be happy with her without marrying her?” He asked, almost pleaded as he held Mikey’s gaze. “Why risk yourself, hell, _both_ of us over something so meaningless.”

“It isn’t meaningless to me.” Mikey spoke gently, starting to think he understood why Gerard was so against the marriage, and it wasn’t because of the risk. “It’s very important to me. It shows Daisy how much I love her, and I would do anything to make her know how she makes me feel. I don’t expect you to understand that either, but can you at least just trust me when I say I _have_ considered the risk and I’ve decided it’s not enough to stop me from doing this.” 

“I just don’t understand why.” Gerard groaned, his eyes wide and hurt as they bored into Mikey’s. “You can sit there and say you don’t expect me to all you want but that isn’t enough for me Michael – Mikey.” He quickly corrected himself, trying to appease his brother. “I need to understand, I need to if I’m ever going to bring myself to accept your choice.” 

Mikey sighed heavily but he nodded, knowing deep down that it wasn’t fair of him to ask Gerard to give him his blessing without even understanding why he should have to. But Mikey simply didn’t know how to make Gerard understand. He had always been the more emotional of the two, Gerard said he was soft hearted, and Mikey used to teasingly call Gerard the iceman… but the truth was, Gerard really was made of ice when it came to things like love. 

“The only way I can explain it is by comparing it to us.” Mikey sighed, hating to draw the comparison but he knew it was the only way he could make Gerard even slightly understand. 

Gerard tensed almost immediately, apparently not wanting to make that comparison either. He and Mikey shared a bond that no human, no matter who they were, could compete with and Gerard refused to believe that Daisy could even come close to having the connection with Mikey that he did. 

“You know how when we were disowned by our parents, and we just drifted around thinking we would die any day, how we used to hold one another every night and when we were in each other’s arms we almost, _almost_ believed that everything was going to be okay?” He asked softly, gazing at Gerard with soft eyes and hoping Gerard would give him chance to show where he was going with the memory before interrupting him. 

Gerard’s eyebrows furrowed into a deep frown, and his lips pursed tightly. He didn’t think often of those days, they were so long ago and were unimportant, but when he did think of them it was always with fondness and he didn’t want Mikey ruining them by associating them with Daisy. He nodded though, letting him continue. 

“Well… That’s what it’s like with Daisy.” Mikey said quietly, leaning forward as if trying to bridge the gap between him and Gerard. “It’s not like the connection we share now, of course not. We have something so special, don’t we?” Mikey smiled warmly then, the corner of his eyes crinkling and making Gerard soften as he nodded silently. 

“When we were kids though, still believing we were human and not understanding why our parents had disowned us like they did, we had a different bond then. We loved each other Gee, the same way humans love, because that’s all we knew. And that’s what me and Daisy have, just good, honest human love.” Mikey sighed, unable to explain it any differently. “We love each other so much, just as much as we did all those centuries ago. But you and I, we have something much more special, and that will never change Gee. It’s not like I’m replacing you.” Mikey leant even further forward, reaching out to touch Gerard’s hand but the elder yanked it out of the way before he could. 

“Of course I know you’re not replacing me.” Gerard scoffed, as if the whole idea was madness, though deep down Mikey’s words twisted something in him. “I was never worried about that.” He lied, knowing it was useless to try and pretend. 

Mikey and Gerard may not have been normal from a human perspective, but it didn’t matter to them. They had continued to spend night’s together right up until the twentieth century when they had both had enough experience and confidence to go their separate ways and explore the world alone. 

Gerard had mastered his seduction and enjoyed taking sex from humans only, and Mikey had gone a purer route and indulged in his love of arts and history and had finally come back into Gerard’s life when he had settled with Daisy in New York.

Throughout the century apart the brothers had kept in touch, meeting for days or weeks at a time whenever they were in the same area, but they hadn’t felt the touch of the others body for over a hundred years. They could satiate themselves in other ways now, and having sex with humans gave them more power and strength unlike when they had sex together. Neither had forgotten how it felt to lay together though, and Gerard had never believed anyone could make him feel like Mikey did, or vice versa. And that was what hurt… the fact that Daisy _could_ make Mikey feel like that. 

“Gerard…” Mikey whispered, putting his wine glass down before walking round the table between them and sitting down on the sofa beside his brother. He touched Gerard’s face, turning it towards him and looking sadly at him. “You are a useless liar. How could you ever believe Daisy would replace you? You are my _brother_.” 

“I know that.” Gerard snapped, trying to pull away but Mikey’s grip was firm as much as it was tender and Gerard sighed as he bowed his head and surrendered to the younger’s touch. 

“I just can’t believe this woman of yours can really make you feel how I used to.” He sighed, hating to be so honest but there was no point in trying to hide it and he supposed that it did feel sort of good to admit it. Mikey’s little yelp of horror certainly made him feel better and he sighed with a soft smile as he was yanked into a tight hug. 

“Gerard you are such a fool!” Mikey sighed, rolling his eyes and running his fingers through Gerard’s hair. “She doesn’t make me feel like you do, didn’t I explain that? But I _love_ her Gerard. And it’s more beautiful and more pure than anything we had –but it will never be as much as we had. Hell, still _have_.” He mewled, pulling back and cupping Gerard’s face to meet his gaze. 

“You are my brother Gerard, not my boyfriend. You are my family, and my soul mate, and my best friend… I want you to stay in my life forever. And with us it is forever, Daisy will die eventually, so please… I know you’re selfish and like to keep me all to yourself, but can’t you let me go just for a few little decades?” He pouted softly, fighting back a gentle smile. “You’ve coped without me for a hundred years, why does me being married make such a big difference?” He asked softly, lowering his voice into a soft, seductive purr.

Gerard sighed heavily and frowned, trying to look at Mikey with the most unimpressed expression he could, but he did actually feel better hearing Mikey say such things to him. He supposed he was right, being married didn’t make that much of a difference. 

“I guess…” He spoke slowly, sighing as Mikey caressed his cheek, soothing him until he smiled. “I guess I can understand why you want to marry her then…” 

If he was being honest Gerard actually didn’t have the faintest idea why the marriage was so important to his brother, but now that he felt reassured that it wouldn’t change their connection he felt comfortable enough to just let it pass. 

“I do have one other question though.” Gerard added when Mikey finally slipped his hand off his face. “Do you really mean to tell her what we are?” He asked, his eyes growing concerned and Mikey’s smile fell. 

“Ah…” He sighed, bowing his head and sitting back, growing thoughtful for a moment. “I’m still not sure about that.” He admitted softly, though truth be told he had been thinking about it every day ever since he had first considered asking Daisy to marry him. 

“I don’t intend to tell her straight away.” Mikey spoke slowly, thoughtfully. “But sooner or later she’ll start to grow suspicious when I don’t age. I wonder if I should just try and get away with it for as long as possible, and then tell her when I can’t lie about it any longer.” Mikey wasn’t certain that was the best plan, but for the time being it was his only plan. He didn’t want to risk himself, and he especially didn’t want to risk Gerard; he was certain that Daisy would never sell them out, and odds were people wouldn’t believe her if she tried anyway. But the main problem was her family. 

“If she believes me, and accepts it, then we’d still have to find an excuse to tell her family. But I’ve been considering trying to convince her to move to a different country with me in a few years’ time, once we’re settled in married life. I know she loves Italy, we could move there and we wouldn’t have to deal with her parents.” 

“Italy?” Gerard repeated, raising his eyebrows. “I thought you wanted to move to Jersey?” 

“I do.” Mikey nodded, smiling. “And we do intend to, we’ve been looking at homes not too far from yours. We could move there before moving to Italy – or we may never move to Italy. Honestly Gee, I’m still trying to figure all of this out. I wanted to ask your help with it, but until now I couldn’t because of you hating on the marriage so much.” Mikey smirked playfully at Gerard, topping up both their glasses with wine as Gerard scowled at him. 

“Well if you ask me it sounds like getting married is just posing way too many problems.” He scoffed, though he quickly softened at Mikey’s disappointed look. He had practically just given Mikey his blessing to get married, he knew he should grit his teeth and try to help him. 

“I’ll try to think of something to help you.” He conceded eventually. “But honestly Mikey, I don’t think I can come up with a plan better than what you already have. You’re just going to have to make some sacrifices.” He shrugged, not too worried about Mikey eventually moving away. He could visit him easily. 

“Thank you.” Mikey smiled, leaning forward to brush a soft kiss over Gerard’s cheek. “Really, thank you… It means a lot.” 

“Alright don’t get emotional.” Gerard sighed, rolling his eyes and downing his glass of wine as Mikey chuckled beside him. 

 

When Frank got back to his apartment and found it empty he felt a sudden weight of disappointment crush into his stomach. Gerard hadn’t told him he planned to go anywhere, and after spending four weeks with each other Frank had become accustomed to having Gerard in his apartment most days. It was just typical that the guy would have left on the one day he really needed to talk to him. 

Frank sighed and threw his keys onto the side before falling down onto his empty bed. He grabbed his phone but he had no messages off the older man, and he decided he wouldn’t send one either. He didn’t want to appear needy. Though right then needy was exactly how he felt. The more he had thought about Ava on the drive home the more anxious he had begun to feel, and it suddenly seemed crucially important that he told Gerard about her. 

Frank hoped that Gerard would at least come over again that day. Perhaps he had gone out to run some errands and would be back soon. Frank decided to give him a few hours before messaging him, and so he forced himself to get off the bed and make himself busy so he stopped worrying. 

After half an hour of trying, and failing, to come up with anything that would keep him occupied Frank resorted to sitting on the couch, watching awful day time TV and drinking out of a bottle of scotch. He didn’t intend to drink too much, he was doing so well after all, he just needed a little bit to… take the edge off. Ava had shook him up, and he needed Gerard there to tell him it was all okay, but he had no idea where Gerard was, and so the bottle had become his only friend again.

 

Gerard made his way home soon after Daisy arrived back at the apartment. She had seemed excited to see him, and both she and Mikey had tried to persuade him to stay for dinner but he had managed to escape by insisting that he couldn’t, and claiming that he had plans with Frank. Mikey had smirked at that, but Gerard didn’t care. Mikey could think what he wanted about his relationship with Frank, he knew the truth, and that was that there was _no_ relationship with Frank. The human was just a bit of fun that was all.

Almost as if he felt the need to prove it to himself Gerard spent the train journey back to New Jersey on his knees in the tiny train toilet, sucking the cock of a stranger he had picked up on the platform. He couldn’t even remember the guys face when he stepped off the train at his stop, but he had his taste in his mouth for the rest of the walk home and he felt like some of his power had returned to him. He had been getting too comfortable with Frank, he had almost forgotten how good it felt to seduce a complete stranger and to literally suck the life out of them.


	6. Down, down, down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so you guys all know, I didn't get my beta to read over this chapter because she is just super busy at the minute, so I apologise in advance for any typos or mistakes. I have gone over it myself but I always seem to miss something.  
> I also hope to update more often now that my exams are all over, but I make no promises since job hunting is the next priority. Still, hopefully things will be coming up a bit quicker now, watch this space!

_BANG BANG BANG_   


“Ugh _God_.” Frank groaned and rolled onto his front, covering his ears with his hands as he grimaced in pain. His stomach gave an almighty lurch from the sudden movement and Frank immediately regretted flipping over.

He hadn’t had a hangover so powerful in a long time.

The first thing he became aware of, apart from the banging on the door of course, was the stifling heat in his apartment. The heat wave gripping the area was still around, and apparently getting worse. Frank had forgotten to open any of the windows and he couldn’t afford to be constantly running the AC. As a result he felt hot and sick and he just wanted to die.

The second time the door knocked Frank realised that whoever it was wasn’t pounding on it aggressively as he had first thought, it just sounded that way because his head was already aching fiercely. Not only was he dehydrated from the heat, but he was also dehydrated from his drinking session the day before and his body was making sure he knew it.

Frank didn’t think he’d be able to find the strength to get to his feet, but the assumption that Gerard was at the door lent him power he didn’t know he had and he forced himself upright, using the sofa for support. 

About his feet the floor was scattered with different empty bottles. It looked like Frank had drank half a liquor store, but in actual fact most of the bottles had been nearly empty to begin with and he’d only drank one full bottle of scotch before downing the rest of the pitiful morsels he could find. It had been four weeks since he had got drunk last though, and it seemed that his tolerance for hangovers had completely deteriorated in that time. 

Still, Frank hoped that Gerard would feel suitably guilty when he saw all the empty bottles. It was his fault Frank had turned back to drink after all.

It seemed to take an age for Frank to reach the door, every step making the queasy feeling in his stomach worse. He had the sweats bad, and he knew he must look awful, but he simply didn’t care. He unlocked the door and swung it open with a deep scowl, ready to confront Gerard right away, but it was not Gerard who was stood outside. 

“Wow, you look awful.”

“Corey!?” Frank’s head span so suddenly that for a moment his vision swam and Corey became just a blur of blonde hair and tanned skin before coming back into focus again. “What are you doing here?” Frank gasped, gripping the side of his head with one hand, the other hand pressed to the doorframe. 

“I wanted to see how you were doing…” Corey said slowly, peering past Frank and spotting the empty bottles littering the inside of his apartment. “You haven’t called me at all since you left work, I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

Frank was painfully aware of the disappointment in Corey’s face. It sounded like the man completely regretted his decision to check in on Frank, and that just made the hangover feel ten times worse. 

“I can see things haven’t been going well.” Corey sighed, walking into the apartment without being invited. Frank had no choice but to stumble backwards, still gripping his head in one hand as Corey shut the door and kicked off his shoes. 

“Uh… Corey, I’m not really up to entertaining guests right now…” Frank groaned, turning and watching as Corey ignored him and walked into the living room anyway. 

“I can see that.” He commented gruffly, stooping to start picking up the empty bottles off the floor. “You look like shit man, why don’t you go take a shower whilst I clean up.” 

“C – Clean up?” Frank repeated dumbly, not sure he was hearing right. “Why –”

“It’s what friends do, isn’t it?” Corey shrugged, turning to face Frank with several bottles cradled in his arms. “If I were you I’d grab a glass of water before your shower too. You need to keep hydrated in this weather.” 

Frank stared in silent astonishment as Corey walked past him and into the kitchen. Placing each of the bottles neatly on the side, asking if Frank recycled and getting himself acquainted with the fridge and cupboards before declaring he was going to make Frank breakfast. 

Frank wasn’t sure he could stomach food right then, nor was he sure he’d be able to keep down any water if he drank it. But under Corey’s firm command he forced himself to gulp down a glass along with some aspirin before walking to the bathroom like a zombie. He was still half asleep and far too hung over to think properly, so he put up little fight and accepted the fact that Corey was in his apartment without question after just ten minutes.

Corey had never been inside Frank’s apartment before. Although both considered the other a friend it was an entirely work related relationship. They had never really hung out outside of work, but Corey had been unable to stop worrying about Frank in the four weeks that had transpired since Daryl had kicked him out. Everyone at the garage talked about it, debating whether they thought Frank was getting any better, though Corey seemed to have been the only one who had held onto any hope that Frank would be improving; and eventually the older man had just had to see for himself how Frank was doing.

Corey felt crushed with disappointment to find Frank hung over and clearly no better than he had been when he had left four weeks ago. But he hadn’t come to Frank’s apartment to lecture him or give him up as a lost cause. They still had another four weeks to turn things around and Corey decided that if Frank wasn’t going to ask him for help, then he was going to press it on him. 

By the time Frank stumbled out of the shower in a pair of boxers and a t-shirt Corey had made him a breakfast of dry toast and vegetarian bacon. Being a typical ‘man’s man’ Corey had no experience cooking any form of vegetarian food and as a result had burnt the bacon, but the look of innocent desire to please on his face persuaded Frank not to comment and at least try the food. 

His breakfast was so dry that he felt like he would choke on it, but Frank found that the dryness of it helped to ease some of the queasiness in his stomach and he was given plenty of time to force the food down, left by himself in the kitchen as Corey walked about the apartment, opening windows and searching for anymore alcohol that might be hidden.

When Corey came back into the kitchen he turned hopeful blue eyes on Frank and the younger man sighed, forcing a weak smile. 

“Thanks Corey… I uh… I feel a bit better after eating.” He sighed, it not entirely a lie though he was unable to drink the coffee in front of him, instead sipping on cool water instead. 

“So um… What made you come here today? I mean… I know to check on me but, why now?” Frank asked, his fingers shaking as he pulled a cigarette out of the packet on the table and struggled to light it. 

“I don’t know really.” Corey shrugged, sitting down next to Frank and lighting his cigarette for him. “I guess with it being the halfway point and all, I just wanted to make sure you were improving. I guess it’s a good job I came huh?” He sighed, smiling at Frank in such a sweet and non-judgemental way that the younger man suddenly felt overwhelmed with emotion. 

“I was doing better.” He quickly insisted, a lump in his throat making his voice gruff. “I swear man, last night was the first time I’ve drank like that since leaving the garage.” Frank knew that Corey wouldn’t believe him, but he had to say it. 

“Hey, I’m not here to judge.” Corey shrugged, holding his hands up. “It’s fine if you’ve still been struggling. I’m glad I came over, I really want to help Frankie. You never called me though man.” Corey had known when he had told Frank to keep in touch four weeks ago that he wouldn’t, but it didn’t make it hurt any less. 

“I know, I know.” Frank sighed, sucking deeply on his cigarette to calm his shaking hands. “I’ve been genuinely busy though. Honestly Corey, I was doing great. I was going to the AA meetings, I wasn’t drinking as much – I mean, I still drank a little but I never got drunk, I’ve been seeing this guy every day and…” Frank trailed off, embarrassed to feel tears burning hotly in his eyes. He didn’t even know why he was upset, it wasn’t that big of a deal that Gerard had never come back last night. The guy was entitled to do what he wanted, and it wasn’t like they were boyfriends. 

Frank supposed that he and Gerard had been spending a lot of time together, and that it was only natural for them to spend some time apart. He just wished Gerard had told him he wasn’t planning to stay before just leaving out of nowhere. Besides, his run in with Ava had shook him up, and as he had grown more drunk, the more afraid and upset he had become. But how could he possibly tell Corey that?

“You’ve been seeing a guy?” Corey repeated, cocking his head to the side. “As in like… dating?” 

“Well… Kinda. I guess. To be honest it’s been mostly sex. I don’t really know what you’d call it.” Frank groaned, running a hand through his hair and taking another drag of his cigarette before he suddenly remembered that he had never actually come out to any of the men in the garage. His eyes grew wide and he nearly dropped his cigarette onto the table as he looked at Corey in horror, but the older men was still gazing calmly at him. 

“Is that why you drank last night?” He asked, ignoring Frank’s guilty expression and accepting his accidental confession of his sexuality without question. “Has this guy you’ve been seeing hurt you?” 

“Not exactly…” Frank replied slowly, still reeling from what he had revealed and not entirely able to believe that Corey wasn’t going to freak out about it. He knew that Corey was a good guy, as were most the guys he worked with, but they were as straight as you could be, and Frank had always been too afraid to tell them he was gay. 

“You look upset though.” Corey noted, lighting a cigarette of his own and drawing the ashtray over from the other end of the table before Frank’s dropped ash onto the wooden top. “And I do believe you ya know. About not drinking before last night.” He shrugged like it was nothing, but Frank like he was about to burst into tears. 

“You do?” He whispered, feeling as though he could just grab Corey and kiss him right then. He had never realised he was such an incredible guy. 

“Sure.” Corey smiled, shrugging. “You don’t seem like you’re lying to me. And I can tell there’s something on your mind. We’re all guilty of drinking away our feelings from time to time right? Maybe you’ll feel better if you talk to me about it though.” Corey was unable to hide a blush then, not exactly an emotional guy himself and he was never completely comfortable talking about feelings or problems. But he wanted to help Frank. He wanted to be able to see him walk back into work in a month’s time, knowing that he wasn’t going to mess up anymore. 

“Thanks Corey…” Frank spoke slowly, touched that Corey was even trying to reach out to him. He wanted to be able to open up to him and just rant about Gerard for a little while, but it wasn’t as easy as that. He was used to keeping everything to himself and he wasn’t ready to suddenly bare his soul in front of a man he had only ever worked with. 

Corey could see Frank’s hesitation but he didn’t try to push him into talking. He just calmly smoked his cigarette and gazed around at the kitchen, waiting for Frank to decide whether he wanted to talk or not. 

“The thing is… It’s just that… I dunno, yesterday I was just being stupid.” Frank finally forced out, blushing deeply as Corey turned his blue eyes on him. 

“What do you mean?” He asked gently, tapping his cigarette against the ashtray to make it drop some of the building ash. 

“Well…” Frank imitated Corey, rolling his own cigarette slowly along the side of the glass ashtray as he considered what he wanted to say. “The only reason I drank yesterday was because Gerard – the guy I’m seeing – was meant to be here when I got back from AA but he wasn’t. He hadn’t left me a message and he didn’t text me or anything. He still hasn’t.” Frank sighed, double checking his phone which was resting next to his hand. “I let it upset me but we’ve seen each other every day for the past four weeks, so I guess it shouldn’t have bothered me at all. It just… did.” Frank sighed, bowing his head and slowly taking another drag on his cigarette.

“You’ve seen each other every single day?” Corey confirmed, raising his eyebrows. “I didn’t even know you were seeing anyone when you left the garage, you made it sound like you’d be alone all the time.”

“I thought I was going to be.” Frank nodded, sighing and crushing his cigarette into the ashtray once it was completely spent. He was tempted to light another, but he decided against it. He already relied on too many vices to keep calm. 

“I met Gerard at an AA meeting, the week before Daryl kicked me out.” He scoffed, still a little bitter about the whole thing. As far as he was concerned that was Gerard’s fault too, though he had forgotten it in his happy sex fuzzy state of mind of the past month. 

“I didn’t think we were going to meet again, not outside of AA I mean. But before I knew it we were seeing each other every day and… He was just making me really happy, ya know?” Frank smiled weakly, meeting Corey’s gaze with sad eyes. He didn’t want to reveal _why_ Gerard had been making him happy, as it was his story sounded almost romantic, but there was nothing sweet about how much sex they had been having. 

“So Gerard is an alcoholic too?” Corey asked, nodding as if that made sense and Frank decided to just let him believe it. He didn’t want to go into the long and complicated tale as to why Gerard was at an AA meeting even though he wasn’t an alcoholic. 

“Did you try calling him or anything yesterday when he didn’t show up?” Corey went on to ask, finishing his own cigarette and crushing it besides Frank’s in the ashtray. 

“Uh… No, I uh, no I didn’t.” Frank confessed, knowing that sounded ridiculous but he had decided to wait a while for Gerard to contact him first and by the time he had reached a point where it was obvious Gerard wasn’t coming back that night he was too drunk to think about messaging him himself. 

“Well, maybe you should have done that first, instead of getting upset and drinking.” Corey spoke gently, but his words still hurt and Frank blushed red with embarrassment. 

“I know…”

“I mean, I can kind of understand why you were upset and everything, if the guy didn’t show up when he was supposed to. But there might have been a good reason for it, and even if there wasn’t, its only one night right? It’s not enough to resort to drinking like you did.” Corey shrugged like it was nothing, but he knew that he probably wasn’t saying anything that Frank wanted to hear, but he thought maybe that he just needed to hear it anyway. 

Frank turned his head away so that he could avoid Corey’s strong gaze. Part of him wanted to get angry and argue that he had been completely in the right to get drunk, but he was too hung over to summon the energy for an argument. And deep down he knew that Corey was right. Getting drunk had been ridiculous, he should have just messaged Gerard. Instead he had let everything get to him for no good reason. 

“I knew it was stupid to get so upset…” Frank began to sigh, but Corey soon cut him off. 

“There must be another reason why it bothered you so much.” He spoke up, not sure why he was suddenly convinced he was a therapist, but he pursued his train of thought anyway; he even lent over to touch Frank’s hand. “I mean, you said that you stopped drinking as much when you guys started spending so much time together… why was that?” 

“Hm?” Frank looked at Corey with blank eyes for a moment, shrugging weakly. “I don’t know man… Because we were too busy?” He offered, blushing at the thought of _why_ they had been so busy. “I just didn’t think about alcohol when I was with him. Or like now, when I’m with you. It’s only when I’m on my own.” 

“So maybe that’s why you drink.” Corey gasped, apparently having a eureka moment but Frank was still clueless. 

“Frank, you’ve told me before that the only friends you have outside of the garage are all lowlife losers who only show up if they think you’re having a party. I know that you don’t really hang with any of us guys from the garage, so… maybe you just drink because you’re lonely.” Corey’s tone softened slightly as he began to realise that as much as things were starting to make sense to him, they might not come as welcome news to Frank. 

“Corey…” Frank sighed, not knowing what else to say. He had already had it suggested to him at his AA meetings that his drinking was due to loneliness, and he supposed it could be. His family had disowned him because of his ‘problem’, and any true friends he had once had had all left him when they decided to ‘be mature’ and quit with all their partying and focus on wives and kids and careers. Frank had been left behind and drink had simply got him from one day to the next. 

“It makes sense doesn’t it?” Corey insisted when he could sense that Frank was going to try and argue the point. “I mean, man, I don’t know you half as well as I would like to ya know? And I don’t want to assume anything, so just tell me to shut up if you want. But it seems to me that because you had this Gerard guy with you all the time you weren’t lonely so you didn’t need to cure it with drink, then last night when he didn’t show up it just reminded you of all those nights you spent on your own before him and so…” Corey trailed off, shrugging. “I just think it would make sense.”

Frank sighed and shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment and trying to think clearly through the headache which was getting worse. He wished the aspirin would kick in already. Corey’s words were making him feel sicker and he just wanted to hide in his bed, out of the sunlight and away from people trying to pry into his life. 

“Come on Frank…” Corey urged gently. 

“It does make sense.” Frank admitted, if only to make Corey be quiet. “But I don’t need to be told any of this okay? I know I messed up last night, but it won’t happen again.” 

“I know it won’t.” Corey nodded, taking Frank by surprise once again. “Because from now on if you feel lonely, or like you need to drink to get through a day or night then you’re going to call me.” Corey was looking at Frank with such a stern expression that the younger man didn’t dare argue, only nodding as Corey confirmed that he did have his number. 

“I mean it Frank, you’ve got to keep in touch with me from now on, so I know how you’re doing.” He insisted, checking the time and sighing. “But I better get going now anyway, I’m going to be late for work as it is.”

Frank looked dumbly at him for a moment and then turned his head to look at the kitchen clock. He hadn’t even thought to look at the time, he had completely forgotten that Corey would be working that day and he blushed, feeling guilty for making him late though the blond didn’t seem to mind. 

“If you want me to come by after work I can do, just send me a text.” Corey smiled as he got up and walked into the hallway to pull his shoes back on, Frank following him weakly. 

“You make sure you rest today, maybe sleep off the hangover.” He chuckled, smiling at Frank with such warmth that the younger man was overwhelmed with emotion again, though once more he fought it back. “If I don’t hear from you soon then I’ll call okay?” 

Frank nodded silently, not trusting himself to speak without his voice trembling. He smiled at Corey as best he could as he saw him out, promising he’d keep in touch this time. 

As he watched Corey leave Frank knew that though the words had been unspoken, Corey had come over that day to offer him a chance at a real friendship. He wasn’t an emotional enough kind of guy to say outright that he wanted him and Frank to become good friends, the kind of friends who could help and rely on each other, but Frank knew that was what he had been trying to show… He was grateful for the visit, but he didn’t feel like he had made any big breakthrough in his drinking. 

Sighing to himself Frank wandered through to the kitchen, dumping his breakfast plate into the sink though he didn’t bother washing it up. He grabbed his phone on the way to his bedroom, texting Gerard as he walked. 

_‘Hey where were you yesterday? We need to talk about something’._

Frank sent the text and then sank into his bed, deciding that Corey’s suggestion of sleeping off the hangover was his best option. He felt incredibly ill still, and his head was still spinning, but he somehow managed to fall asleep quickly, and continued to sleep deeply late into the afternoon.

 

Gerard leant against a tree as he waited in the park he had told Frank to meet him in. He had considered ignoring his text when he had received, but had eventually decided that it would be best to see him and find out what it was he wanted to talk about. Gerard suspected it was going to be one of those awkward human talks about whether they were a couple or not, and whether a relationship was on the cards. Gerard had one of those talks in centuries, and he wasn’t looking forward to having another one.

He had decided against going to Frank’s apartment, not trusting himself to ignore his desire for the human if he did. At least if they met in public they would have no choice but to keep their hands off each other, and that would make it easier to let Frank know they couldn’t see each other anymore. 

Gerard had known it was a mistake to get involved with a human in the first place, but after seeing Mikey and blowing the stranger in the train toilet he had remembered why it was so important for him to not have sex with any man twice. He would end things with Frank, and go back to his usual habit of flitting from man to man, never getting attached to any of them. Frank had been the first to properly snare his interest, and the four weeks had been fun, but now it was time to move on.

Gerard sighed and looked about the park, still seeing no sign of the human. He hadn’t received a text back off Frank, and the man was already twenty minutes late. Gerard would have just given up and gone home if it wasn’t so important that he ended whatever he had with Frank as soon as possible, and he really didn’t want to go to the human’s apartment. 

The park was full of people, out enjoying the sun on their lunch breaks or day off. Couples sat under trees together and parents stood by as their children played on the adventure playground. It was a pleasant enough scene but Gerard was not touched by it. 

He _had_ been touched that morning though, by an average looking man he had picked up in the corner shop where he had gone to buy his cigarettes. The guy wasn’t Gerard’s usual type, a little chubby round the middle with muddy brown eyes and a receding hair line. He had been obviously utterly entranced by Gerard as soon as he had walked into the store though, and he had been tempted for some reason to take the man home.

Gerard supposed that after spending so much time with Frank he was just eager to remind himself that he had the power to seduce anyone he wanted. And whilst it wasn’t exactly like he tried to seduce the man at the store, he had been glad to bring him home when he discovered that he had the most wonderful cock. It had felt wonderful sliding across his tongue and he had actually taken his time for once, drawing out the process as long as possible before finally tipping the man into an orgasm that made him sob with pleasure and Gerard had swallowed every last drop.

He had reminded himself that he didn’t need Frank in order to give him what he needed, and he was going to tell the young man as much as soon as he arrived. 

When Frank finally approached Gerard he was half an hour late and looked awful. He was wearing a large, dark pair of sunglasses to hide his eyes from the burning sun and it was obvious before he even got close enough for Gerard to smell him that he was horribly hung over.

“Had a heavy night did you Frankie?” Gerard asked coolly once Frank neared him, the scent of stale alcohol ruining Frank’s usually gorgeous smell made Gerard wrinkle his nose up, but he supposed it all worked in his favour. Frank’s scent had been something he was certain he wouldn’t be able to resist all too easily, but now he wanted nothing more than to get away from the stench.

“Fuck off.” Frank grumbled, folding his arms over his body and standing next to Gerard so that he could relax in the shade given off by the tree. He hadn’t wanted to leave his apartment at all, but when Gerard had decided they should meet at the park Frank just hadn’t had the energy to complain. 

“Where were you last night? I thought you were going to wait for me to get home.” Frank could hear that he was sounding whiny, and he knew it was stupid to be bringing it up, but he couldn’t help it. “I waited for you all night…” He sighed, bowing his head sadly.

“I decided to visit my brother.” Gerard shrugged, looking at Frank with a cool, emotionless gaze. It was clear he was not going to apologise.

“You could have just let me know –”

“Why?” Gerard interrupted Frank. “We’re not a couple, I don’t need to tell you if I’m going somewhere. I’m sorry if I gave you the impression that I wanted a relationship, but I want to make it clear to you now that I do not.” 

Gerard assumed that Frank was here to ask him about it, and so he thought that making his feelings clear right away was the best option. Frank just stared at him with dropped jaw and wide eyes, several emotions contorting his features, though confusion and hurt were the most obvious. 

Frank had no idea why Gerard had suddenly told him that, but the words cut deep into his stomach as if he had just been stabbed. His queasiness from the hangover had started to clear after his sleep, but now he felt the sickness return in one fell swoop. He felt like he was going to vomit right there on the grass, but somehow he managed to hold back and just stare at Gerard through his shades. He had no idea what had happened the day before to make Gerard suddenly act like this, but it hurt… it hurt more than Frank would ever have imagined it would.

“I… I don’t… Have I done something wrong?” Was all Frank could think of to say, his head swimming. He was glad that he was wearing his shades, the dark lenses hiding the tears that were building in his eyes and he thought back to what Corey had said to him that morning about his drinking being due to loneliness. 

“Gerard, I’m sorry if I did something –”

“You didn’t.” Gerard cut him off, shrugging, his face still a perfectly blasé mask. “On the contrary, you’ve been great. The sex has been fantastic.”

“But… It was just sex.” Frank clarified, his voice rough and hollow. “And now… what? You’re not interested anymore?”

“Basically.” Gerard nodded, hoping that the conversation would be over quickly. Frank obviously didn’t feel well and so Gerard hoped he would excuse himself soon and that could be the end of it all. 

“I can get sex from whoever I want, and I plan to. I don’t usually sleep with any man twice, because I don’t want them to get attached to me. And I can tell that you have.” 

“Oh really?” Frank scoffed, his sadness being swiftly replaced with anger. He couldn’t believe any man could be so downright arrogant. “And what makes you think that?” He demanded, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. 

“Well, I think it’s fairly obvious that the reason you wanted to speak to me today was to ask me what’s going on between us. So I just wanted to tell you straight, there is _nothing_ going on between us.” Gerard shrugged and actually had the nerve to smile, and Frank was certain that one more word and he was going to punch the smug bastard right in his gorgeous face and see who would fuck him then.

“You’re disgusting.” Frank snarled, his skin crawling to think that for all the time they had spent together it had only been about getting off. He supposed he should have known it really, but without even noticing he had gotten his hopes up that it could be something more. 

“So what? Do you just go around fucking a different guy every day then?” He demanded, his eyes growing wide as Gerard shrugged and nodded.

“Not for a while… Not since you and I started seeing each other every day. But I’ve had a couple of guys since yesterday.” 

Frank really did hit him then, unable to stop himself from sending a sharp slap against Gerard’s cheek. Gerard’s head snapped to the side with a satisfactory _clap_ and Frank felt just a tiny bit better for it. Though his anger was swelling and rising inside him like a tsunami, a million thoughts going through his head. When Gerard looked back at him he didn’t even look like he cared, though his cheek shone red. 

“You fucking _asshole_.” Frank snarled, knowing that his tears were obvious in his voice but he didn’t even care anymore. “You are _disgusting_. You could be fucking riddled with diseases, I can’t _believe_ I was ever stupid enough to fuck you.” Frank shook his head in a daze, turning away from Gerard and starting to stride back the way he had come, just wanting to go home and sob for a year. 

Gerard watched Frank go with vacant eyes, not bothering to follow him but after just a few feet Frank whirled around again to face him. 

“And just so you know, I wasn’t coming here today to ask you what was going on between us. I wanted to ask you about some creepy woman called Ava who was asking me about you the other day. But fuck it, I don’t care who she is to you anymore, I don’t ever want to see you again. You keep out of my life!” Frank turned back round and stormed out of the park, ignoring all of the stares he was receiving from the people who had heard his outburst. 

Though Frank couldn’t see it Gerard’s face had gone suddenly pale and a look of horror crossed over his features. He didn’t even try to hide it as he raced after Frank, reaching him easily and grabbing him by the wrist. 

“Frank wait!” 

“No!” Frank shouted, gasping and turning to shove Gerard away from him as hard as he could. The older man was as solid as a statue and didn’t move at all no matter how hard Frank shoved at him and soon Frank began to cry in earnest, incredibly humiliated and so very, very angry.

“What, do you think you’re some kind of sex demon or something!?” He demanded, curling his hands into fists and starting to thump over and over at Gerard’s chest in a frenzy of hurt. “I said to leave me the fuck alone! I’m not going to be seduced by you again!”

“Frank just listen to me!” Gerard snapped earnestly, gripping Frank’s wrists to stop him from hitting him and trying to hold his gaze though he couldn’t tell whether Frank was looking at him or not because of the sunglasses. “I’m not trying to seduce you, I need you tell me what happened with Ava.” 

“Oh, suddenly you’re interested.” Frank scoffed, managing to break out of Gerard’s grasp only when he used every ounce of his strength and Gerard began to realise everyone in the park was watching them. He reluctantly let Frank go, not wanting to cause a scene. He glanced about at all the astounded faces before turning back to Frank but the younger man had already gone, running across the park and out of the main gate where he got into a cab before Gerard could hope to catch him. 

Gerard watched as the taxi pulled away down the main road and he quickly left the park himself to escape all the stares making his skin crawl. He felt bewildered and almost dazed, one word circling around his mind again and again.

_Ava_.


	7. A woman scorned

If Frank had ever been drunk before, it was nothing compared to how drunk he was then.

His outburst in the park had left him humiliated and hurt and he hadn’t even thought twice before stopping off at the store on the way home and buying as many bottles of drink as he could afford. He wasn’t picky on what kinds either; he bought the cheapest alcohol he could find, providing it had a strong enough percentage, before taking it back to his apartment with the express intention of drinking every last drop and seeing what would happen.

_’Stupid Gerard and his stupid bullshit.’_

Frank’s head was a hazy mess of hatred for the older man and reruns of the words he had said in the park. 

_’I’ve had a couple of guys since yesterday.’_

Frank couldn’t believe he had got mixed up with such an insanely disgusting specimen of a man. How could he have been so foolish as to think it could ever mean anything? Why was he dumb enough to let himself get seduced so easily just because the guy was attractive? Frank had seen plenty of attractive guys in his time and he hadn’t dropped to any of their feet (or into their pants) like he had with Gerard.

Frank had never felt so impossibly angry at himself and, with every bottle of vodka, whisky and gin that he downed, he felt even angrier and steadily drunker.

By the time that early evening rolled around and there was a knock on his apartment door Frank was sprawled out on the floor, eyes closed with a bottle of absinthe in hand. He had only managed to drink a quarter of the bottle before passing out and the emerald liquid had now spilt onto his carpet staining it a deep green. The other bottles he had bought were resting on various surfaces, most of them empty but some of them still unopened. The ashtray on the table was also full of crushed cigarettes.

The knocking on the door persisted for a little while, and then someone tried calling Frank’s name through it but the young man was out cold. Eventually the person stopped calling but the apartment door was unlocked and so with just a curious twist of the handle Corey let himself inside.

The blond man had tried calling Frank when he had finished work, just to check up on him. When he had got no answer he had assumed that he must still be asleep, but he decided to go over and see him anyway. He had been unable to stop thinking about him all day and he was considering seeing if Frank wanted to order in some food and they could hang out for the evening.

When Corey walked into the apartment though he realised straight away that there would be no hanging out eating take out. Though he would certainly be spending the evening there.

“Jesus… Fuck, Frank,” Corey groaned quietly, striding over to Frank’s lifeless form and crouching down beside him. He felt his chest, finding it warm and feeling him breathe. He was relieved there was that at least, with the amount of bottles around him he was surprised Frank was even alive.

Corey gripped Frank by the shoulders and pulled him into the recovery position, knowing that was always the first step but he wasn’t sure where to go from there. To his shock though as soon as Frank was rolled onto his side he began to choke and heave and Corey barely had time to move out of the way before Frank was vomiting onto the carpet. 

“Shit!” Corey quickly crawled back over to the younger man and moved him so he was more on his front, making it easier for him to throw up as he rubbed his back and tried to keep as much sick from getting on his clothes and hair as he could.

When Frank finally finished vomiting he slumped in Corey’s hold, his mouth hanging open but he appeared to still be unconscious. The vomit on the floor was mostly liquid and the remains of Frank’s breakfast and Corey could do nothing but watch dumbly as it soaked into the carpet. 

Corey was not an expert in first aid, in fact, he knew very little about anything to do with it other than the few things he could recall from way back when he had been in high school. He had had his fair share of nights out and had dealt with drunken people before, even unconscious people. But something told him that this wasn’t a case where Frank would throw up, go to sleep and wake up with a hangover in the morning. No matter what Corey did, he couldn’t make Frank wake up, although he continued to cough up more sick whenever Corey shifted him.

Corey tried to move Frank out of the living room, but the younger man was a dead weight and he couldn’t lift him; dragging him was just making the sick run down Frank’s chin even more. In the end he dropped back onto the carpet, rolled him into the recovery position and took out his cell phone to call for an ambulance.

 

“Well that’s not possible.”

“I know! That’s what I thought, but I couldn’t make him stop to tell me anymore.” 

“He must have just been making it up.”

“But how could he have known about her Mikey?”

“Didn’t you tell him?”

“Of course not!” Gerard flopped down onto the sofa and ran a hand through his hair, using his shoulder to cradle the phone against his ear as he squeezed his eyes shut and tried to compose himself. He had called Mikey as soon as he had got home to tell him that Frank had met Ava, but Mikey was not sharing his sense of urgency. 

“He must have just found out somehow,” Mikey sighed and Gerard could practically see him shrugging all the way in New York, his tone bored and disinterested. “Ava has been dead for centuries.” 

“I know that Mikey, which is kind of why I’m freaking out, Gerard growled, irritated that Mikey wasn’t panicking like he was. “I swear to you I _never_ so much as mentioned her to Frank. I haven’t talked about her to anyone, ever! I’m telling you Michael, I haven’t uttered her name in the past three hundred years!” 

“Alright, calm down,” Mikey sighed, not used to Gerard panicking so easily. “Maybe he didn’t mean Ava as in… Ava.” 

“I only know one Ava, Mikey, and Frank said that she was asking him about me. It has to be her.” 

“But it just isn’t possible,” Mikey insisted, starting to sound frustrated himself. “She was a human Gerard, there’s no way she could have survived three hundred years. She _died_. We saw it.” 

“I know… I know that…” Gerard’s head was thumping painfully as he tried to make sense of it. He wished Frank had stopped and just talked to him and he knew already that he would have no choice but to go to his apartment and demand that he tell him all he knew about Ava. He should have gone there first before even calling Mikey, but part of Gerard just didn’t want to know… He didn’t want the ghosts of his past to come back to haunt him; he had buried them a long time ago and there they should stay.

“So… Why wouldn’t he tell you anymore anyway?” Mikey asked after a while, easily sensing that Gerard hadn’t given him the full story. The deep sigh Gerard heaved in response confirmed Mikey’s suspicions and he groaned quietly. “Did you do something?”

“I didn’t do anything,” Gerard protested before biting his lip. “Well… I mean, all I did was tell him that we couldn’t see each other anymore.”

“Why the _hell_ would you do something like that!?” Mikey demanded before Gerard could explain. “I thought you liked the guy!”

“I told you Mikey, I don’t sleep with the same man tw-”

“And I told _you_ not to do this!” Mikey snapped, cutting Gerard off. “I told you not to do the same thing you did to Eicca, I should have known not to have trusted you.” 

“That’s not fair Mikey, it’s because of what happened with Eicca that I called it off with Frank. I knew he was getting to a point where he’d want a relationship so I ended it before that happened,” Gerard whined, but Mikey wasn’t listening to him.

“You know what your problem is darling brother? You’re a coward! You’re too afraid to get close to a human because you think they’re beneath us. Frank was the first guy who interested you in centuries and you ended it with him because you’re… you’re… You’re an arrogant and unfeeling asshole and you probably just let go of someone that could have been really good for you!” 

“Wow Mikey, don’t hold back,” Gerard drawled, scowling to himself. “I was trying to do the right thing…”

“I don’t know what made you think that could possibly be the right thing,” Mikey scoffed. “You told me yourself he does something to you no other human does – his scent, everything about him, you were almost convinced he wasn’t a human. Why did you let him go?” 

“Because… I dunno, I’m stronger when I take from different men.” Gerard sighed, wishing that Mikey wouldn’t keep lecturing him. 

“Power? Really Gerard, you left him for power? After all these hundreds of years, that’s still all you care about?” Mikey demanded and Gerard could hear the disappointment in his voice, making his chest ache. He only ever wanted to make Mikey happy; the younger he may be but he was more mature than Gerard in many ways and the elder of the two had always wanted to impress him. 

“I have to survive, Mikey.”

“You would have survived just fine with Frank,” Mikey pointed out, his voice softening. “I say it again Gerard, you’re a coward. You were just frightened because even after four weeks you could feel yourself falling for the human and you wouldn’t let yourself do it. So instead, you’ve broken his heart and ruined your chances with him.” 

Gerard growled softly and shook his head, trying to think of the words to prove Mikey wrong but he had nothing. Apparently Mikey was convinced Gerard loved Frank or something and he didn’t know how to convince him otherwise. 

“To be honest with you Mikey, I don’t think me leaving Frank is the most important thing to discuss here. The thing with Ava –”

“Gerard I really don’t give a damn about Ava,” Mikey interrupted. “If you’re so desperate to know what Frank was talking about then you should go and ask him. And maybe try apologising to him as well, you complete and utter _idiot_.” 

Gerard opened his mouth to respond, only to find that Mikey had hung up the phone. He blushed and frowned to himself, ending the call on his phone too before tossing it onto the coffee table beside the sofa. He lay his hand over his eyes and sighed, trying to block out the pain of his headache. 

Gerard tried to block out his thoughts too, but that was even harder. He tried to think about Frank and convince himself that he had done the right thing, but even that was impossible. He needed to sleep with different men in order to get more power and he would only have ended up hurting Frank in the future anyway. It wasn’t like they could just be together. He regretted ever going back to the AA meeting to find him the second time, but deep down he knew that there had been a reason… he had simply felt pulled to the mechanic, though he still didn’t understand why.

Gerard had thought that leaving Frank was the right thing to do. He was still trying to tell himself that it was. He didn’t feel particularly upset about it and he knew that when he got back into the swing of seducing a different man everyday he would forget all about Frank. He could admit that the human had had an amazing scent, something that seduced him and intoxicated him like nothing else did… and as a result the sex had been the best it could be as well. But Gerard didn’t fuck just for pleasure; he fucked because he needed to. He wasn’t like Mikey… He didn’t fall in love with humans.

Gerard sighed and slowly forced himself to sit up. It was no good lying around in pain trying to work out how Frank could possibly know about Ava. The only way to find out was to go and talk to the man himself and, as much as Gerard really didn’t want to go to Frank’s apartment, he could see that he had no choice.

Sighing to himself, Gerard reluctantly got to his feet and grabbed his house key. The sooner he talked to Frank, the sooner he could come back home and forget all about him.

 

Frank groaned softly as he opened his eyes, blinking in the harsh sunlight and whimpering softly to himself. He felt sicker than he had in a long time, ten times worse than he had felt with his hangover that morning. Was it really still only that morning? It felt like it was years ago…

Frank squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and then attempted to open them again, the sunlight now dimming down until he realised it wasn’t sunlight at all but a large light bulb floating above him. He frowned to himself, his head pounding so intensely, he was half convinced he must have cracked it open. It would make sense, he obviously wasn’t at home and if he had hurt his head then he was probably in the hospital.

Frank struggled weakly up onto his elbows, using all of his strength to sit up and take a look at his surroundings. His suspicions of it being a hospital were proven correct, though he was surprised to see Corey sat beside his bed, reading a car magazine and looking pale and tired. 

“Corey?” Frank was aware that he sounded like death and he blushed, clearing his throat as Corey looked up in surprise, his eyes wide. His grin was large when he saw that Frank was awake and well and he jumped to his feet, standing close to the bed. 

“Frank! God, you’re finally awake. I’ve been so worried about you,” he breathed, his eyes sparkling and Frank sighed, suddenly feeling like he wanted to pass out again. He didn’t know how he had come to be in a hospital, or why Corey was with him, but he suddenly decided he didn’t want to know. He could remember his talk with Gerard and his binge with the alcohol and he didn’t want to remember any more.

“The doctors were worried about you for a while there; they had to pump your stomach.” 

“Jesus…” Frank groaned, running a hand over his eyes slowly. He couldn’t feel a bandage on his head or any specific spot that hurt, it just ached all over and he sighed, looking slowly at Corey. “What happened?”

“I was hoping you could tell me,” Corey confessed, sighing as he sat back down though he drew his chair closer to the bed. “I came over to see you after work, I did call first but you didn’t answer.” He shrugged, looking almost guilty. “I thought you were probably still asleep and I thought maybe if you were in we could get take out or something. Your apartment wasn’t locked, and so I let myself in when you didn’t answer the door and I found you unconscious with all your… drink.”

“Corey…” Frank groaned, feeling suddenly incredibly ashamed. “I am so sorry you had to find me like that…”

“It’s fine,” Corey shrugged, though deep down he was disappointed that Frank hadn’t called him like he had asked rather than just mindlessly drinking. But he supposed he couldn’t expect him to change in just one day, so he wasn’t going to bring it up.

“You were sick a few times on the floor before I called the ambulance, I’m sorry, I didn’t really know what else to do.” 

“It’s fine. You didn’t have to do anything.” Frank sighed, closing his eyes again when the bright hospital lights made his head feel like it was splitting. He felt sick with himself for getting into such a terrible state, and embarrassed that Corey had been the one to find him. At this rate he was never going to get his job back.

“Well… I did,” Corey argued, shrugging like it was nothing. “You probably would have died of alcohol poisoning if I hadn’t found you.” 

“Well… Thank you.” Frank didn’t know what else to say about the whole situation. He was grateful that Corey had taken care of him, but he still wished he had never found him in the first place. Frank hadn’t been trying to get himself killed; he had just gone a little too far… 

“What happened, Frank?” Corey asked gently, biting his lip as he laid his elbows on the edge of the bed and leant forward to look more closely at Frank’s pale, drawn face. “I thought you were just gonna sleep off your hangover…”

“I was,” Frank groaned, too tired to try and explain to Corey all that had happened. “I’m sorry Corey… I know what I did was… It won’t make sense to you. But honestly man, I just really don’t want to talk about it right now.” Frank finally turned to meet Corey’s gaze, letting his exhaustion show in his face and to his relief Corey nodded his understanding. 

“Of course, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry,” Corey apologised graciously, smiling gently as he got to his feet. “I’ll go let the doctor know you’re awake, I’m sure you want to get home.” 

Frank nodded and whispered a soft ‘thanks’ as he watched Corey go, heading across the ward to the exit. Frank caught a glimpse of a busy hospital corridor outside as Corey pushed open the door, but then the door swung back shut and Frank found his eyes drooping closed again. He felt more tired than he had in years and he fell back to sleep without even meaning to.

 

When Gerard arrived at Frank’s apartment he wasn’t surprised when his knocks to the door went unanswered. Frank had never had any visitors whenever Gerard had been there, and it was obvious that Gerard was the only person who ever came to see him. Frank must have known it was him knocking on the door and was choosing to ignore him. 

“Frank?” Gerard called, rapping his knuckles against the door one more time. “Please don’t ignore me; I need to talk to you.” He kept his voice firm, not wanting to sound like he was pleading. Frank ignored him again, as he knew he would, but Gerard was surprised to find the door open when he tried the handle and he was allowed to let himself inside. 

“Frank,” He called again, closing the door behind him and walking straight through to the living room. “I know you’re mad at me still but –” Gerard fell quiet, standing motionless on the threshold of the living room as he saw the state of the carpet. 

Corey had made an attempt to clean the sick and absinthe stains whilst he waited for the ambulance to arrive, but he had achieved little. The numerous bottles littering the floor made it obvious what Frank had been doing, but it gave no indication of where the mechanic could be now. There was no sign of the young man, although the apartment was not empty. 

“Gerard…” The woman sat on the windowsill stood, smiling widely as she rose gracefully to her feet. “It’s so good to see you at last.” 

“You…” Gerard hissed, his body growing tense and he took an automatic step backwards as Ava approached him. “What are you doing here?” 

“I came to see your little pet,” Ava smiled, lifting up the hem of her long, red dress as she stepped over the different stains on the carpet. “I had an unfinished conversation with him to complete, but it would appear he’s not in.” Ava smiled coolly, reaching Gerard and letting the hem of her dress drop again. She looked as though she had dressed herself for an evening out, but Gerard knew she would have been intending to seduce Frank. 

Her dress was made of the finest, expensive silk, making the fabric shimmer as it clung to her body. A slit in the fabric ran up the side of the skirt from the hem right up to almost the top of her thigh, and with every step she took it would flash a teasing glimpse of her milky skin. Her hair fell in one long, luscious wave and her lips were as red as her dress; but her eyes were as cold and unfeeling as Gerard remembered them.

“What do you want with Frank?” Gerard snarled, feeling nervous about being in Ava’s presence. She was a cruel woman and their history made her even colder when it came to dealing with Gerard. Her smile never faltered though and her eyes sparkled with life as she lifted a hand and stroked it over Gerard’s cheek. 

“I was hoping he could tell me all about you,” she purred, her soft voice silky and seductive and Gerard was stunned to feel how much his skin tingled at the sound of it. She had never been so seductive when he had known her in the past. “But now that you’re here, I don’t need to talk to Frank after all.”

“How can this be possible?” Gerard breathed, pushing Ava’s hand away from his cheek but he could not move his eyes away from her face. “You should be dead.” 

“You sound disappointed.” Ava pouted, mocking sadness as she caressed Gerard’s face again. “Haven’t you missed me?”

“Why would I miss you?” Gerard scoffed, pushing Ava’s hand away again but he kept hold of her wrist this time, making sure she didn’t try to touch him again. “I always hated you.” 

“And here I was thinking we could kiss and make up.” Ava teased, smirking as she yanked out of Gerard’s grip and turned to walk leisurely around Frank’s living room, idly touching different things and inspecting them. 

“How are you alive?” Gerard demanded, ignoring Ava’s teasing. “If you… Wait… Eicca… Is Eicca –”

“No,” Ava answered before Gerard could finish the question, all humour leaving her voice and her face became cold and set for a moment. She stopped walked and looked over her shoulder out the window at the sun dappled streets. “Not even his body now remains; it long since rotted away in the earth.” 

The sadness was clear in Ava’s voice, and even Gerard felt a strange, painful twist in his stomach. 

“Then how are you-”

“I promised myself I would get revenge.” Ava finally turned away from the window, meeting Gerard’s eyes and smiling easily at him again. “I swore I would see you hurt, just like I hurt, but when you disappeared I knew I would never find you in my lifetime.” Ava shrugged and continued to glide around the room, running her hand over the different surfaces. 

“I needed to live forever, just like you. So I made a deal with someone who could give me what I wanted.” Ava stopped when she was just a few feet away from Gerard. She continued to gaze at him even as she stooped to pick up one of the empty bottles and turn it over in her hands. 

“A deal? With whom?” Gerard asked suspiciously, his eyes narrowing. He was beginning to realise that there were other creatures and powers in the world that he did not know about and he wasn’t sure he even wanted to know what Ava had become. “What have you turned into?”

“You know, I always used to think you were so smart.” Ava sighed, looking at the bottle in her hands and tossing it aside when it bored her. “But even you don’t know… You think that people like you can only be born.” Ava laughed loudly then, her voice full of scorn and Gerard’s cheeks blazed pink. 

“You’re a fool Gerard.” Ava smirked, eyes sparkling. “I am just like you, but I was _made_. And I know the dark secret of the method too, I could turn your precious pet into a monster too if I wanted.” 

“And why would you do that?” Gerard asked calmly, trying not to let his astonishment show though he felt almost faint. 

He had never heard of his kind being made before. They were only ever born, a product of a human lying with a demon of their kind. But if Ava was alive after so many years, then she must be telling the truth, and it was becoming clear all too quickly that she had chosen to live for eternity so that she could wreak her revenge on Gerard. 

“I know that you love the man.” Ava looked about Frank’s living room and let a hint of disgust show through on her face. “Though I cannot fathom why.”

“I don’t love Frank,” Gerard spoke without hesitation, his face and his voice both emotionless. “He’s just a human.”

“Really?” Ava grinned, smirking as she walked close to Gerard again. “You think you can fool me with that statuesque face of yours?” She scoffed, running the back of her hand against Gerard’s cheek so that he could feel her sharp nails. “I know that you love him, your scent was all over him when I met him. I’ve been watching you enough to know he’s the first human you’ve got close to like that.”

“You’ve been watching me?” Gerard’s stomach lurched at the thought. He was no idiot, he prided himself on having learnt much in his long life, and he didn’t think it was possible for anyone to watch him or sneak up on him without his notice. For many years his life had depended on both he and Mikey knowing when they were being hunted.

“You sound shocked,” Ava smirked, still standing close to Gerard. She was tall for a woman but her eyes were level with Gerard’s, making it all the easier for her to hold his gaze. “I’ve been watching you for years Gerard. Sometimes you would fall off my radar, for sure.” She shrugged like it was nothing. “But I would find you again soon enough and it’s obvious that this human of yours is the first man you have loved, perhaps ever.” 

“If you’ve really been watching me, then why haven’t you just killed me before?” Gerard asked sceptically, feeling uneasy to be stood barely a few inches away from Ava. “I assume that’s what you want.” 

“Oh for a time it was, sure.” Ava shrugged. “But then I figured, why should I kill you? After all, I have to live for eternity with the pain of seeing you destroy my brother, why should I let you off with just death? No… I wanted you to feel that pain too.” Ava kept her eyes locked with Gerard’s though she began to move away from him again, overtaken by her story so that she became restless, pacing back and forth across the living room, kicking bottles out of her path. 

“I considered killing Michael instead. I knew you cared for him, but as I watched you over the years I could see you truly loved him as I loved Eicca. It would have been a fair trade don’t you think?” 

Gerard felt his stomach lurch and immediately he thought of Mikey, how happy he was now he was about to get married and Gerard couldn’t bear even the thought of losing him. Daisy would never recover from her sadness and Gerard would go mad with his own grief. 

“You dare to touch him…” He began; his voice a low, intense growl but Ava cut him off with an airy wave of her hand. 

“Don’t even bother to make idle threats, Michael is safe.” She scoffed, shaking her head and continuing with her pacing. “I’ve had plenty of opportunities where I could have killed him, but I was never able to do it… I just kept thinking of all the warnings he gave to Eicca… and to me. He tried so hard to stop what happened; it is not his fault what you did.” Ava turned angry eyes on Gerard, eyes full of pain and blame. 

“No. I couldn’t kill Michael,” she continued, starting to stalk back towards Gerard again. “But this human of yours… he’s a different matter entirely.”

“What happened between us isn’t Frank’s fault either,” Gerard quickly pointed out, but Ava only laughed. 

“True. But you do love him. And I need you to love someone for it to make any difference when I take them from you. It is a shame for Frank, but like you said… he’s just a human.” 

Ava was smirking to herself as she brushed past Gerard, making her way to the apartment door. Apparently she had said all she wanted and Gerard felt too stunned to think properly. He whirled around, striding after her and trying to stop her by grabbing her wrist, but Ava was stronger than she looked and she barely even seemed to notice. 

“You’re wrong about me loving him!” He blurted out, blushing deeply when Ava only laughed long and hard. 

“If that’s true then you won’t care when I kill him.” She shrugged, turning around when Gerard yanked hard on her wrist before she could reach the door. 

“You won’t so much as touch him!” He snapped, his eyes blazing black but Ava’s own eyes swirled like black pools as she became suddenly angry too. 

“You can’t stop me,” she hissed, seizing Gerard suddenly by the throat. She slammed him hard into the wall and tightened her grip, crushing his airway until Gerard was gasping for breath and scratching at her hands. 

“I won’t just kill the human.” Ava whispered darkly, ignoring the way Gerard grabbed and tore at her hands. “I’m going to make him _beg_ for death. I’ll torture him and break him apart, and send you the pieces in a little gift bag.” She hissed, grinning cruelly, squeezing Gerard’s throat tighter until his eyes bulged. “I’m going to make your pet cry and bleed and wish he had never so much as lain eyes on you. And only when I’ve driven you mad trying to save him, I’ll kill him.” 

Ava released Gerard as suddenly as she had grabbed him, letting him slump to the floor and pant hoarsely for breath as she reached the door. She looked over her shoulder at Gerard, blowing him a sweet kiss. 

“You will rue the day you ever hurt me,” she warned him before leaving in a swirl of red silk and long, blonde hair.


	8. Miasma

Frank stumbled into his apartment with his arm around Corey’s shoulders and was immediately hit by the scent of stale alcohol and sick. He had been in hospital for a whole night, before finally being allowed to leave that afternoon but he didn’t’ feel much better for it. 

“Jesus…” He groaned, his head swimming from the miasma in the apartment. He didn’t really want to see what state his living room was in, so he had Corey just take him straight to his bedroom where he collapsed gratefully onto his bed. 

“Open a window will ya?” He sighed, rubbing a hand over his tired eyes. “It stinks in here.”

“I’ll clean for you before I go.” Corey offered, walking across the bedroom with long strides to reach the window. He pushed it open wide, letting the sun flood in but there was no refreshing breeze to do much about the smell. 

“No don’t.” Frank sighed, hand still over his eyes. “You’ve done enough for me. Just get yourself home and get some rest.” 

Corey had sat with Frank in the hospital all night, sleeping in the armchair which looked less than comfortable and never once complaining about it. He was the first friend Frank had ever had who actually cared enough to do something like that for him, and it was making him feel incredibly guilty. As grateful as he was, all he wanted was for Corey to go away. 

“I don’t need to rest,” Corey was quick to assure Frank. “I feel fine. I’ll just try and get the stains out of the carpet and stuff so you don’t have to do it later.” As ever Corey was being ruled by his heart of gold, but this time Frank wasn’t going to let him win. He forced himself to sit up, groaning from the amount of effort it took as he shook his head. 

“Honestly Corey its _fine_. Just go home man, please. I’ll feel better once you’ve gone.” He insisted, pretending not to notice the look of hurt that crossed over Corey’s face. 

“Oh… Oh okay, sure. I’ll get out of your hair.” Corey was not the type of man to wear his heart entirely on his sleeve, so he forced a casual smile and idly patted Frank’s shoulder as he walked past him. “Call me if you need anything.” He said gently, not wanting to make a big deal out of the fact Frank hadn’t called him the day before and hoping the man had learnt to trust him a little more and would call him from then on. “Let me know when you feel better.” 

“I will.” Frank nodded, quietly moving to lie in the centre of his bed where he curled up into a ball. 

Corey looked over his shoulder at him as he paused in the doorway, sighing softly and whispering a soft ‘see you later’ before he quietly let himself out. He considered cleaning before leaving, he doubted Frank would notice, the man would probably just sleep. But Corey didn’t want to overstay his welcome, and he felt that Frank was getting annoyed at having him around so he simply left, hoping Frank wouldn’t mind too much that he would have to clean his carpet when he got out of bed. 

Corey just hoped it wouldn’t lead him into another binge drinking session. 

 

Mikey got to Gerard’s as quick as he could after receiving a panicked phone call from his brother. The train journey felt like it had taken forever whilst he had felt so on edge. Hearing such distress in Gerard’s voice had made Mikey feel anxious himself and it was a relief to finally reach Gerard’s house.

When he arrived he found Gerard huddled on the floor in the living room, his back leaning against the sofa with an ashtray in one hand and a cigarette in the other. He was puffing relentlessly from the cigarette, surrounding himself in a halo of silver smoke and causing his eyes to go bloodshot where they remained wide open and unblinking. 

Mikey couldn’t remember the last time he had seen Gerard like this and he didn’t like it.

“Gee?” Mikey hurried to his brother’s side and knelt down beside him, gently taking the cigarette from between his lips and crushing it into the ashtray. “Are you okay? You look awful.” Mikey waved his hands gently in front of Gerard’s face to help the smoke subside and to get a better view of the older man. “You sounded so eccentric on the phone…”

“It was her Mikey.” Gerard’s voice was low and raspy, probably from all the cigarettes. He kept his eyes fixed straight ahead, he didn’t even seem to be able to see anything, too lost in whatever memory was gripping him. “It was definitely her. She’s still alive and she’s _one of us_.” 

Mikey rose his eyebrows in shock and shook his head slowly, frowning as he gently cupped Gerard’s face and brushed his hair off his forehead. His brother felt hot to the touch, and Mikey could feel how worked up he was. He hushed him gently, brushing his hand over his forehead soothingly as his eyes roamed his face and then down to look at the deep purple bruises on his neck. 

“How is that possible?” He whispered, ever so gently touching the bruises where Ava had gripped Gerard’s throat as she throttled him. “Are you absolutely certain?”

“Of course I’m certain.” Gerard snapped, his eyes focusing on Mikey at last. “It was _definitely_ her, she said she got turned by an incubus and knows how to change others now herself. She said she’s going to kill Frankie, well, right after she tortures him first. She’s going to send me little pieces of him every day in a gift box. In a gift box Mikey! One tiny piece at a time until there’s nothing left!”

Gerard’s hands were gripping Mikey’s by then and his entire body was trembling. His eyes were wide with fear and disbelief and for a moment Mikey felt completely panicked too. He was half convinced that Gerard must be wrong, that he had been fooled by someone pretending to be Ava, or that he had imagined what had happened but the strangle marks on his neck were certainly real and Mikey knew that Gerard was not the type of man who could be easily fooled or easily frightened. 

“Alright, alright let’s just calm down for a second.” Mikey spoke as calmly as he could, gently squeezing Gerard’s hands. “I’ll get us a drink, and get you cooled down and you can tell me everything that happened.” 

“No, no Mikey you have to understand.” Gerard moaned, babbling in soft, frightened tones with tears in his eyes. Mikey was astonished, he rarely saw Gerard so shook up and even if it was really Ava he had seen, the woman Mikey remembered would never have been capable of frightening his brother like this.

“You’re boiling up.” Mikey noted, touching Gerard’s forehead again. “Let’s just cool down and then you can tell me everything okay? I _will_ understand Gerard. I just need you to do as I say for a little bit alright? Trust me.” Mikey knew just how to speak to Gerard to soothe him and soon he was able to rise to his feet, still holding Gerard’s hands to pull him up gently with him. The ashtray dropped to the floor, spilling ash across the carpet but neither man seemed to notice.

Mikey led Gerard out of the living room and into the kitchen where he poured them both a large glass of water. He added sliced lemon and ice when Gerard started to complain he needed wine not water, and handed the elder his glass with a stern look on his face. 

“I need you sober if you’re going to convince me of what you’ve seen.” He told him simply and that was enough to make Gerard fall quiet and drink his water without another word of complaint. 

Mikey pulled Gerard outside where they could catch any passing breeze. The day was drawing to an end and evening was upon them, the sun too low to burn them now and the stifling heat of the afternoon had become a pleasant warmth. Gerard was still too hot but Mikey had him sit down on the grass with him and urged him to drink his water, soothingly stroking his knee with just his fingertips until some of Gerard’s franticness began to ease. 

“Alright now?” Mikey asked after a while, sipping his own water and relishing in the way the ice numbed his mouth and throat. 

“Mhmm…” Gerard nodded with his mouth full of the last of his water. He wiped his lips with the back of his hand and looked at Mikey with some amount of shame and embarrassment on his face. It made him look oddly young and vulnerable, even Mikey was used to Gerard hiding his emotions and it made him ache to see him looked so wounded. 

“Tell me what happened now.” Mikey shifted closer to Gerard until the shoulders were touching and slowly poured some of the water from his still full glass into Gerard’s until they had half each. Mikey wasn’t feeling too thirsty anyway, and the coldness of the liquid seemed to help Gerard. 

Mikey kept one hand on Gerard’s knee as he told him about going to Frank’s apartment and running into Ava. Now he wasn’t so panicked he was able to explain things properly and Mikey listened with growing dread to Gerard’s story. His fingers tightened gradually on Gerard’s knee, his grip getting worse and worse the more he came to realise that Gerard was right and Ava really was alive. And not only alive, but after revenge. 

When Gerard finished talking he fell completely silent and simply bowed his head as he waited for Mikey’s response. Mikey felt completely speechless though and for a moment all he could do was concentrate on loosening his grip on Gerard’s leg. He relaxed his fingers and smoothed them out over Gerard’s knee before he slowly turned to face his brother properly. He lifted his hand to cup his face and gently pulled it round so that their gazes met. 

“She thinks you love Frank. That’s why she wants to hurt him.” 

“I know that.” Gerard sighed, trying to turn his face away again, but Mikey wouldn’t let him. 

“Do you love him?” Mikey asked, gazing intently into Gerard’s eyes, searching them, reading them, needing to see the truth in them because he knew Gerard wouldn’t say it himself. 

“Of course not. He’s a human.” Gerard spoke with venom in his voice, but it was the answer Mikey had been expecting but it wasn’t the answer he had seen in Gerard’s eyes. His brother was the best at hiding his emotions, but Mikey knew him well enough to see past the mas when he needed to. 

“Then why have you got yourself so worked up?” He asked gently, lifting his other hand to cup Gerard’s other cheek so that he had his face cradles between his palms. “Ava hasn’t threatened to harm you. She’s only threatened to harm ‘a human’, no reason for you to get so upset.”

“I’m upset because it will still be my fault. I’m the one who pulled Frank into this, he doesn’t deserve to be tortured because of me. He hasn’t done anything wrong.” Gerard’s voice was starting to tremble despite his best efforts to keep control of his emotions. He wouldn’t think about loving Frank, it was absurd. He hardly knew him well enough to love him, he only wanted sex from him. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t a good guy. 

“But he’s still just a human.” Mikey was stubborn and he kept pushing in his irritatingly calm voice until Gerard was shaking in his hold. “Just a human Gerard. He’s nothing, there are millions like him, right? We shouldn’t get so emotional over just a human.”

“I’m not getting emotional.” Gerard argued, sniffing pathetically as tears burned in his eyes. “I don’t love him. Why are you being like this? You usually give a damn if someone is going to be hurt.” 

“I do.” Mikey agreed, nodding sagely. “But you _never_ do. Not even with Eicca.” Mikey cocked his head to the side slightly, his eyes boring into Gerard’s. “So why is Frank so important?” 

“This is getting us nowhere.” Gerard snapped, trying to wrench out of Mikey’s hold and storm away but it was impossible. He couldn’t pull out of Mikey’s grip even when it was only light, he didn’t want to lose the warmth of his hands on his cheeks and his jaw, or the way his fingers felt splaying onto his neck. 

“Why can’t you just say it Gerard?” Mikey sighed, growing impatient. “Why can’t you just admit that you’ve developed feelings for him?”

“Because I haven’t!” Gerard snarled, his whole body trembling. “I haven’t… I love _you_ Mikey, don’t you realise that?” Tears really did start falling then and Mikey was surprised for just a second, but then he smiled to himself and nodded, using his thumbs to wipe Gerard’s tears away. 

“Oh Gerard.” He sighed, shaking his head fondly. “Don’t try and pull that card on me. You and I both know that we’ll always love each other, no matter who else takes our affections. You can love me and still love Frank, now stop trying to deceive me. If you really loved me you would tell me the truth.” Mikey looked innocently at Gerard, a soft smirk playing about his lips. “I’ll even kiss you if you do.” 

Gerard frowned at Mikey then, he even started to pout sulkily before he realised and quickly stopped. He was tempted to argue that that was blackmail, and promising a kiss wouldn’t make anything he said the truth, but Mikey was just too sweet as he looked at him and Gerard was too afraid for Frank to keep playing this game. 

“Alright.” He sighed, slumping somewhat and bowing his head. “I won’t say I love him, but I do… Have feelings for… Him. Perhaps.” He peeked up at Mikey and scowled at the amused grin on the younger’s face. “Don’t get smug about it –” He began to warn but then Mikey was leaning into him and pressing a gentle, chaste kiss to his lips. 

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” He teased lightly, his lips brushing slightly over Gerard’s. “Love comes in time, feelings will do for now.” He grinned, getting to his feet with easy grace before pulling Gerard up by his hand. “And now that you’ve admitted it I think our next step is obvious. We need to go to Frank’s and get him into our protection before Ava gets him to first. So I suggest we go right now.” 

“Really?” Gerard felt a strange rush of relief and he grabbed Mikey before he could rush away, hugging him so tight to his chest that he lifted him right off the ground. “Thank you Mikey.” He whispered, not knowing what else to say. He didn’t feel comfortable talking too deeply about anything, and so he knew he didn’t need to say any more than he already had. He wasn’t even sure he was at a stage where he wanted to think about his feelings for Frank even alone, but he wouldn’t worry about it then. Mikey was right, they needed to get Frank out of his apartment and into their protection and soon.

The brothers left Gerard’s home soon after, wasting no time before they were out the door and on their way to Frank’s. Gerard didn’t know where the mechanic had been earlier that day, or whether he would even be back yet. The state of his carpet had made it clear that he had been drinking heavily and for all Gerard knew he could have got himself hurt, but as long as Ava hadn’t found him then he wasn’t going to be as hurt as he could be.

 

When Frank woke up it was early evening and he felt like he was dying. His head was still pounding and he felt queasy, just as if he were travel sick but he was only lying in his bed. He wanted to go back to sleep where the sickness didn’t bother him so much, but he was wide awake and far too hot to so much as doze. 

The doctors had warned Frank that he would need to keep hydrated and so, since he couldn’t sleep, he dragged himself out of bed and walked through to the kitchen to get himself a glass of water. He passed the living room on the way and groaned at the state of the carpet. Corey had said he’d tried to clean the stains but whatever cleaning he had done had made no difference. The whole room smelt awful and there were bottles still scattered about everywhere. Frank knew he would have to clean it, but just then the prospect made his stomach turn. 

Instead he simply leant against the kitchen counter and sipped delicately at a glass of tap water. The liquid sat cold and uneasy in his belly, making it churn even more and he was half certain he would end up throwing all the water up again. He couldn’t believe he had allowed himself to get into such a state and still all he could think about was Gerard and how much of it was his fault. He almost wished Gerard knew how much he had hurt him, wished he knew what he had led him to do, maybe then the guy might feel just an ounce of guilt. 

Frank continued to brood over his bitterness as he sipped his water and struggled to remain on his feet. He felt so weak and exhausted, and too hot as well. He was considering going and sitting in the shower under cold water when he heard the door of his apartment opening. There had definitely been no knock and whoever it was made no attempt to be quiet as they slammed the door behind them.

Frank frowned and slowly put his glass of water down. He walked as quietly as he could out of the kitchen, leaning in the doorway and slowly poking his head round. He was expecting either Corey or burglars, or maybe even Gerard, the guy would certainly be arrogant enough to think he could just walk in, but the person Frank lay eyes on was in fact female. 

“Hey.” Frank stepped out from the doorway, facing the back of the woman who had been strolling casually into his living room as if she lived there. “Who the hell are you?”

The woman stopped in her tracks and seemed to hesitate for a long moment, but when she turned around she had a large grin on her face and looked as if seeing Frank had made her the happiest woman in the world. Her eyes positively twinkled and when she strode towards Frank it was with a clear eagerness which took the mechanic aback. He recognised Ava as soon as she turned, but he had no idea why she would be in his apartment, or how she would even have known where he lived. 

“Wait… You’re Ava right?” Frank frowned, taking a step back as the woman approached him. “What are you doing here? How did you know where I lived? Has Gerard put you up to this?” Frank flared with anger just at the thought. “Whatever you’re doing here just get out, I’m not in the mood for this shit.” 

“Hush Frankie, I can see you’re in no fit state to entertain.” Ava smirked, walking right up to Frank and running the back of her hand tenderly over his cheek. The touch made Frank’s skin crawl and he felt almost paralysed afterwards. 

“I came by earlier but you weren’t in. I take it from the state of your living room that you were in hospital yes?” Ava already knew the answer, she could smell the chemicals from the hospital still lingering on Frank’s skin and beneath that the left over taint of poisoned blood. “I didn’t realise your drinking problem was quite so extreme.”

Ava had an innocent look on her face, but Frank was not impressed. The woman was dressed in the same red dress Gerard had seen her in that morning and Frank couldn’t help but wonder what image she was trying to convey. His head felt oddly heavy and his skin was tingling, the same way it would feel when Gerard would seduce him but he didn’t feel the slightest attraction towards Ava, even with her long shapely legs and impressive cleavage. 

“I don’t have a drinking problem.” Frank scowled, shoving past Ava and striding to the door. 

“Could have fooled me.” Ava purred, still smirking cruelly at Frank and he felt his stomach swirl angrily. If the damn woman didn’t leave his house he’d just puke her. “I know the signs of alcohol poisoning well enough. I’d say you’d have to have a drinking problem to get into that state.” She winked at Frank, as if it was all just a childish game and he growled in frustration.

“I don’t have a drinking problem,” He insisted through clenched teeth. “I have a Gerard problem.” He gripped the door handle and yanked the door open so hard he nearly yanked it off its hinges. “Now get out.” 

“A Gerard problem?” Ava ignored Frank’s demands and rose her eyebrows in genuine curiosity. Frank practically saw the complete switch in tactics and felt his skin prickle as she suddenly grew empathetic and sidled up to him. 

“How coincidental. I have a Gerard problem too.” She sighed, touching the door and gently pushing it shut with Frank still holding onto the handle. “In fact that’s the very reason I stopped by. You see, Gerard has hurt me Frank. He has hurt me in a way I can’t even describe with words.” 

“Great.” Frank’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Well, I’d love to sit and chat about how we both got our hearts broken, but there’s only enough room for one in this pity party so…” Frank pulled the door open again, but still Ava made no move to leave. 

“I didn’t come here for us to both sit and talk about Gerard.” Ava chuckled, slowly closing the door again. “You see Frank, I am not the type of person who can rest easy when I’ve been treated wrongly. And what I want is to get my revenge on Gerard…”

“Okay well, good luck with that but count me out.” Frank yanked the door open again and stepped closer to Ava, looking her right in the eye. “I am not interested.” He spoke slowly and clearly, as if talking to an imbecile but Ava only smiled. 

“Not interested?” She repeated, stepping closer to Frank herself so that her breasts pressed against his chest. “I came here to see if you had any information for me regarding Gerard, but now I think I have a better plan.” She drawled, idly laying a hand on Frank’s shoulder and smoothing out the creases in his t-shirt. “You’ve been hurt Frank, I can see it in your eyes as clearly as I can see it in the stains on your carpet. Gerard _wronged_ you, and I can tell you want him to hurt as much as you have.” 

“No I don’t.” Frank shook his head calmly, not wanting to buy into a single thing Ava said but deep down a little thrill ran through him at the thought of hurting Gerard and making him regret ever using him. Ava was promising him sweet, sweet revenge and he was impossibly tempted as much as he was trying not to be. 

“Of course you do.” Ava smiled, shutting the door once again and then taking Frank’s hand in both of hers, drawing him gently to the living room. “You don’t have to pretend to me Frank, I want exactly what you want. I want Gerard to pay for what he’s done.”

“What exactly did he do to you?” Frank scoffed, able to tell that Ava was trying to seduce him but it wasn’t going to work. He wasn’t interested in her sexually, though her offer of revenge was reeling him in without him even knowing. 

“That is a long and painful story.” Ava sighed dramatically, sinking down onto the couch with Frank, not seeming to care at all about the odour in the room. She turned to face Frank fully, still holding his hand in hers and she began to gently stroke the back of his knuckles as she gazed at him through her lashes. “If you want to help me that I’ll tell you all in good time, but not here. Come back to my place and we can make plans properly.”

“Why can’t we make plans here?” Frank asked suspiciously, his heart racing with a strange anxiety. He still got a deep feeling of foreboding when he was around Ava and he didn’t trust her one bit. “If we’re going to do this it’s not like we have to make some big, elaborate plan.”

“Just trust me Frank, if you come to my place I can tell you so much about Gerard. Things you wouldn’t even imagine.” Ava giggled and Frank rose his eyebrows in surprise, his heart racing even faster. 

“You mean… You mean about… what he is?” He whispered quietly, looking around uneasily as if someone would overhear them. He hadn’t forgotten his thoughts about whether Gerard was really a human or not, and he was even considering that Ava was whatever Gerard was… if she could tell him what they were exactly then that could be a fair trade for him going with her for a little while. It wasn’t like he had anywhere else to be. 

“What do you mean Frank?” Ava asked softly, surprise ghosting over her features and making her look somehow even more beautiful. Frank looked at her in quiet astonishment for a second, his tongue poking out to wet his lips as he summoned up the courage to speak. 

“Well I… I mean… He doesn’t seem quite… human.” He whispered, gripping Ava’s hand and feeling a strange dizzy feeling come over him when Ava nodded seriously. 

“That’s because he isn’t.” She whispered back and Frank felt almost smug knowing he had been right. He felt weaker than before though, suddenly too exhausted to face anything more that night. He didn’t know what he would be getting himself into if he went with Ava or heard what Gerard really was, and he wasn’t sure he would ever be ready to face the fact that creatures that were not human but looked human could exist. 

“Frank…” Ava spoke quietly, gently squeezing his hands and then lifting one to caress his cheek. “I’m sorry, this might be too much for you. I should go, you look like you need to rest-”

“Wait!” Frank gasped, grabbing Ava’s hands before she could stand up. He wasn’t sure he wanted to hear about Gerard but then when Ava rose to leave he realised he wouldn’t rest until he heard the truth. “You can’t go now, I need to know what he is.” He gasped, looking at Ava with pleading eyes. She looked back at him, seeming to pity him and hesitate for a long while, but eventually she nodded but looked around nervously as if someone was going to jump out from the shadows. 

“Okay,” She whispered, nodding her head and getting to her feet. “But not here, it isn’t safe.” 

Frank had never felt unsafe in his apartment before but at Ava’s words he felt as if the shadows were closing in on him and he sprung to his feet as if he had been electrocuted. 

“We’ll go to yours.” He nodded, turning to grab a bag and pack but Ava shook her head, gripping his hand so he couldn’t leave. 

“No time, we must leave now.” She said urgently and Frank felt too panicked to not listen to her. He nodded and was given just enough time to yank on a pair of old shoes before they were rushing out of his apartment and jogging across the parking lot towards his Chevelle. He thought fleetingly over how suddenly his evening had changed and he felt dizzy from the pace of it. He wasn’t sure how Ava had convinced him so easily to go with her when he had been so angry and nervous when he had first seen her in the apartment. He had no time to think on it though as he handed Ava his car keys and opened the passenger door, still too sick to try and drive himself. 

Ava got into the car with feline grace, but Frank was not so elegant. He slid into the car slower than her and struggled with his seatbelt for a moment. He gripped the door to close it, looking back at his apartment for a moment and gasped when he saw Gerard running across the parking lot towards them. 

“Frank!” He shouted, his voice so full of horror that for a moment Frank felt fear grip at his own heart. “Frank don’t go with her, get out of the car don’t go with her Frank!”

“Close the door.” Ava barked at Frank, her eyes wide and full of fear and when Frank looked between her and Gerard it was impossible to tell who was lying to him. “Close the door Frank come on!” Ava pleaded, starting the engine as Gerard and another man Frank didn’t recognise got ever closer. 

“Frank get out of the car! Get out of the car Frank! Frank! FRANK!” 

Frank winced and yanked the car door shut with a loud slam. The fear and distress in Gerard’s voice made him feel sicker than ever and in a split second he decided who to trust. Gerard had already lied to him after all, and he knew already how easily the man could fake emotions. Ava on the other hand had yet to give Frank a reason not to trust her, and she said Gerard had hurt her too… 

Frank bit his lip as he turned and looked out the back window at Gerard’s shrinking figure as Ava sped out of the parking lot and onto the road. Even though it was still only evening the road was quiet and soon enough they were rounding a corner and Gerard disappeared from view, still running after the car as if he had any hope of catching it.

Once the car got round the corner Mikey sprinted to Gerard and lay a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head and pulling Gerard into a bear hug as the man began to scream Frank’s name over and over in distress. 

“FRANK! No God, please – FRANK! _FRANK!_ ”

“Shh… Shh Gerard, it’s okay shh.” Mikey whispered, pulling Gerard back to the sidewalk where he held him tight and rocked him gently as he screamed in his ear. “Please Gerard, shh, be quiet. We can’t draw attention to ourselves shh.” 

Gerard shook his head and buried his face into Mikey’s neck, shivering as he clutches his shirt. He felt overwhelmed by the realisation that Frank had gone with Ava, and by the looks of it he had gone willingly. The poor human had no idea what she had in store for him and Gerard had been unable to stop him, even with the connection he thought they shared. 

“Mikey… Mikey what are we going to do?” He moaned, still hiding against his brother’s neck. “We can’t let her take him, she’s going to…”

“I know.” Mikey hushed Gerard again, gently stroking his hair as he looked out onto the road and to the corner where they had last seen Frank’s car. “I know…”


	9. Demons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!  
> So just a quick note, basically first to apologise for the lengthy gaps between updates recently. This chapter is actually quite short and hasn't been beta'd but I really wanted to get it out. Its mostly just so I could start teasing out some of the ol' back story, and because I didn't want to leave you guys waiting forever for another update.  
> I'm actually in the middle of moving out of my student house and returning home now I've graduated... This basically means that both me and my boyfriend have all our stuff to pack, our houses to clean and then a 200 mile trip to get back to my hometown where we then need to live out of boxes at my parents house until we find our own place (hopefully very soon aaagh). So in short very stressful time indeed. My laptop is also looking like its on the brink of a breakdown so I just really wanted to get something out before that happens.  
> So ya... Much longer note than I intended there, but basically, you guys are amazing and awesome and just the coolest things ever for being so incredibly patient all the time and also for leaving me all the stunning comments that you do. I'll do my best to keep chapters up as regularly as possible, but now you know why it's been a bit difficult.  
> In the mean time, please enjoy this little peace offering nugget of drama, and I will shuddup already.

Gerard sat with Mikey on the wall outside Frank’s apartment block. Mikey had his fingertips resting against his lower lip, his eyes glazed from where he was lost in thought. Beside him Gerard had his head in his hands, his hair knotted about his fingers from stress. He hadn’t said much since Frank had left, and though he was trying not to let it show it was obvious that he was terrified for the human’s safety. 

Mikey tried to imagine how he would be feeling if it was Daisy who had just ran off with a woman who had made threats to torture her, and the thought alone was enough to make him feel queasy. He had made one weak attempt to comfort Gerard, but had soon realised it wasn’t going to help and so had just fallen silent, trying instead to come up with a plan to get Frank back.

The two men had since sat in silence for almost an hour, neither saying anything, neither moving, just sitting and thinking as the traffic dwindled by. Mikey had no idea where Ava could be, he hadn’t even believed she could be alive until that afternoon. He hadn’t seen her in centuries, and the last time they had talked they hadn’t even been in America. He couldn’t even make an educated guess as to where she might have gone. 

Gerard wasn’t even trying to guess where Ava had gone. He couldn’t stop thinking about Frank, the way he had looked when he had seen him running across the parking lot, or the words he had said to him in the park. He supposed it was no surprise that Frank had ignored him and gone with the beautiful woman, she had a perfect mask of innocence on her face and Gerard knew she must have seduced Frank one way or another. He didn’t know what lies she had told him, and he didn’t want to know. He just wanted Frank back, he needed to know he was safe. 

Gerard tried not to imagine what Ava must be doing to him right then. He hoped she hadn’t done anything, but for all he knew Frank could already be getting tortured. Gerard had only ever known Ava as a sweet, meek woman, desperately in love with her brother, and so he couldn’t imagine what her style of torture might be. It was clear that she was no longer meek though, and Gerard grew cold to think of how her eyes had looked when she had him gripped by the throat the day before. She was ruthless now… Ruthless and unfeeling and Frank would receive no mercy from her. 

“Gerard…” Mikey was the first to eventually speak, sighing as he turned to look at Gerard and tenderly touched his hand. “We should get going.” He said gently. 

Gerard didn’t seem to notice that Mikey had talked, and for a long while the younger man wasn’t sure that Gerard had heard him. But after a long, awkward silence Gerard finally turned his head and met Mikey’s gaze, letting the younger slowly pry his hands from out of his hair. 

“It’s no good us just sitting here. Let’s go back to yours and we can think of a plan.” Mikey didn’t know how they were going to think of a plan, it was fairly obvious they were both clueless and unless they were given a pretty big hint fairly quickly they weren’t going to get anywhere. But they certainly couldn’t remain on the wall all night. 

“A plan…” Gerard repeated slowly, as if he didn’t know the meaning of the word. Mikey nodded slowly, his eyebrows furrowing in concern as Gerard gazed about blankly and then glanced over his shoulder at the apartment block behind them. 

“Gee…” Mikey bit his lip and squeezed Gerard’s hand. “Let’s go?” 

“Let’s stay here.” Gerard suggested, sliding off the wall and landing gracefully on his feet. “We can stay in Frank’s apartment.” 

Mikey watched in quiet confusion as Gerard started to walk back across the parking lot towards the entrance of the apartment block, not even waiting to see if Mikey was coming. The topic was clearly not up for discussion, but Mikey couldn’t imagine why Gerard would want to stay in the human’s apartment. He followed him anyway though, guessing it didn’t really matter.

Mikey had never seen Frank’s apartment before, nor given much thought to where the human might live; but as he walked into the small but homely space he found himself filled with a sudden interest and he left Gerard to mope alone as he walked around exploring the rooms.

He went into the kitchen first, since it was closest, and looked curiously at the ashtray on the table and the overly neat counters. It didn’t look like Frank cooked much, or did anything really other than smoke in the kitchen. Empty bottles were lined up on the counter, but no actual alcohol was around. From the amount of empty bottles though Mikey could see that Frank was a heavy drinker. 

Next Mikey went into the living room, poking his head around the door and wrinkling his nose up at the smell still lingering in the carpet. The stains were worrying, though the room itself was tidy. The smell was like stale alcohol, but also somewhat acidic. Mikey looked at the different coloured stains and put two and two together… clearly Frank hadn’t had a very good night. 

Mikey left the living room quickly, making his way into the bedroom instead but falling short in the doorway when he saw Gerard in there, lying on Frank’s bed with his back to the door. He was holding one of the pillows, hugging it to his chest and burying his nose into the fabric. Mikey could see his body moving as he took long, deep breaths. He didn’t seem to be crying, but Mikey could feel the deep sadness coming off him in waves and he bit his lip as he slowly moved out of the room again.

He got the feeling Gerard just needed to be alone. 

Mikey went back into the kitchen and looked through the cupboards for some coffee. He sniffed the bottle of milk in the fridge but found it to be fresh, and all the mugs were clean to. He relaxed at the table with a large mug in hand, filled with milky coffee with more sugar than he would usually take. The creamy, sweet drink was somehow comforting and he took a minute to read some junk mail on the table to try and take his mind off the current situation. He would try to think up a plan afterward, when his head was clearer and no longer fixated on what could be happening to Frank that very minute.

 

Just outside of the main town, a mere hour away from Frank’s apartment, was a large eighteenth century house. The road it sat on had just two other houses, and all three of the buildings had a good distance between them. The houses were not in the middle of nowhere, but they were certainly private and people rarely came by them.

As a teenager Frank and his friends would sometimes travel past these houses. They would drive around in his friend’s new car, drinking and singing along to the radio, and sometimes they would end up in all sorts of places. The three houses were well known in the area, they were opulent and well looked after, making them some of the more valuable properties in the town. For a short while a small-time celebrity had lived in one of them, and a well-known local author owned another. The third house, the one in the middle, was the sweetest of them all, with a white picket fence and bright pink door to add a little extra character. Frank had never actually known who lived there, but he had always guessed it was probably an elderly couple, or even just a woman on her own. No one in the fancy houses ever had any kids about. 

To discover now, years after the last time he had come this way, that the sweet house was owned by Ava was something of a shock. Frank was almost amused to imagine what his friends would have been like had they have known back in the days of drunken car rides that such a beautiful woman lived at the property. Though perhaps it was for the best that they hadn’t known…

The inside of the house was just as sweet and opulent as the outside. The living room was decorated in pale blues and silvers, with cream double scroll ended sofas and two small chairs which looked like mini thrones. The coffee table in the centre of the room was also cream with gold finishes in the carved legs and sides which matched the golden chandelier which though small, sparkled from the middle of the ceiling. 

Frank had never been into such a beautiful place, he felt as though he had fallen into a piece of history and was almost afraid to touch anything in case he should break it. He perched gingerly on the edge of one of the sofas, looking around with wide eyes and waiting for Ava to return from the kitchen.

When the tall woman glided back into the living room, or the salon as she called it, she was holding a tea tray with a real china coffee set on it. She put the tray down onto the coffee table and poured both herself and Frank a cup of strong smelling coffee. She handed Frank a cup with a sweet smile and he took it from her with shaking hands. 

“How do you like my furniture?” Ava asked lightly, stirring some milk into her coffee. “It’s quite comfortable isn’t it.”

“It’s great.” Frank shrugged, feeling strangely nervous. Ava hadn’t talked much on the car drive to the house, though Frank tried to ask her questions. She kept her lips tightly sealed the whole way, and when they did arrive at the house she left Frank in the living room, telling him she needed a drink for her nerves. He wasn’t sure if she meant the coffee, or if she had been drinking something stronger whilst hidden in the kitchen.

“I collect antiques.” Ava explained, looking calm and content in her own home and Frank wondered why she wasn’t panicking anymore. He still felt sick with nerves. “I like Italian furniture the best, but I also collect from France, Switzerland, England, well all of Europe really.” Ava continued to speak, seemingly oblivious to Frank’s worrying. 

“Drink up.” She suddenly urged him, smiling over her own coffee cup. “You’ll feel better if you do.” 

Frank forced a weak smile and took an obedient sip of his coffee. It smelt strangely aromatic up close and it tasted a little odd too. He didn’t want to seem rude though so he took a couple more sips before resting the mug delicately on his knee and looking at Ava again.

“Ava I…” He trailed off, not sure where to begin. Ava looked at him with calm, innocent eyes, a look that made her look kind and approachable. It made Frank feel strange, he was certain she hadn’t looked so sweet when he had first met her at the AA meeting. 

“I… I need to know about Gerard. What he did to you… what he is.” Frank leant forward to put his cup on the coffee table but Ava stopped him, urging him to keep drinking. 

“I put some valerian into it, it’s a natural remedy for anxiety. It will help soothe you, and you look like you could do with it.” 

Frank had no idea what valerian was, but he guessed it was some sort of herb or plant, and that it would explain the strange taste and smell to his coffee. He shrugged and sipped some more, just hoping to appease Ava so she would finally tell him what he wanted to know. 

“Thank you.” He offered when she still didn’t speak. He made a show of gulping down some more coffee and wiping his mouth. “I do feel a little better, I just really want to know about Gerard now.” 

“Of course you do.” Ava smiled, putting her own cup down before rising to her feet. She clasped her hands together, sighing and looked hesitant for a moment before she turned and started to pace in front of the sofa she had been sat on, opposite Frank’s with the table between them. 

“Well… Where do I start?” She asked herself, not looking at Frank as she walked slowly across to one side of the room and then to the other and then back again. She picked idly at her nails as she went, worrying her lower lip between her teeth for a moment. 

“I suppose I’ll tell you about what he did to me first.” She mused and Frank nodded, encouraging her to speak.

“Please Ava… I need to know. If you want revenge and want me to help, I should know what he did.” He pointed out softly and Ava nodded her agreement. 

“Yes, you’re right.” She agreed, continuing to pace for a long moment before she glanced at Frank, took a deep breath and began her story. 

“Well… It was a long time ago. A very long time ago, longer than you would think.” She flashed Frank a small grin before facing forward again, picking at her thumb nail as she paced. “I was different then… Shy, weak… Nothing like I am now.”

Frank cradled his coffee cup to his chest, relishing in the warmth it provided through his t-shirt. The room seemed suddenly cooler and an ominous feeling descended on him, anxiety gripping at him until he was almost shaking again. 

“I had a brother. Eicca.” Ava’s voice dropped in tone and took on a more sinister quality. Her innocent act was draining away, brought on by the memory of her brother and she had stopped pacing, starting at a frame on the mantel piece instead. 

“My brother and I loved each other. He was the greatest brother any little girl could ask for, always looking out for me, always protecting me. He only ever wanted me to be happy and I wanted the same for him.” Ava started to walk slowly towards the mantel piece, staring intently at one gilded frame. 

“We used to have the best fun together. We lived on a little farm in Italy, and we would spend our days running in the fields and exploring the countryside. We never wanted for anything, we were so _happy_.” Ava finally picked up the frame she was looking at and cradled it in her hands, her face growing shadowed with sadness and other emotions Frank couldn’t quite detect. 

“As we grew older I started to notice a change in my brother. He would disappear for sometimes whole days and wouldn’t want to spend time with me anymore. My parents told me it was because he was getting older, finding different interests, he didn’t have time for his kid sister anymore. But I knew that wasn’t it… He was sad. I could sense it.” Ava gently touched her fingers to the glass of the frame and for a moment Frank thought he saw tears in her eyes, but then they were gone before he could be sure. 

“I tried to talk to him, I tried to understand what was wrong but he would never tell me. I was determined to get it out of him though, and when I was eighteen years old I followed him on one of the days where he would ride off alone. I followed him all the way to the nearest village, just three miles from our farm. I followed him as he went into the tavern there, but lost him when he gave a coin to the tavern owner and went upstairs. I wasn’t going to give up that easy though, so I went back outside and climbed a tree, and as luck would have it the window I was going to try and climb through was the window to the room my brother had gone to.” 

Ava turned then, starting to pace again though she kept her eyes fixed on the frame in her hands still. Frank craned his neck, trying to see the photo inside but all he could see was the light of the chandelier reflected on the glass.

“When I looked through that window I could not believe what I saw.” Ava continued, sighing softly. “My brother was inside, pressed into one of the walls by another man. For a minute I thought they were fighting, but then I realised… They were kissing. I had never been kissed before, I was still a maid, but it looked nothing like how I’d imagined. It was rough and aggressive, they pulled at each other’s hair and clothes, they scratched at their backs and their necks, and I could do nothing but stare as they fell onto the bed and my brother was mounted by the man like an animal.” Ava shook her head slowly, but the small smirk on her face told Frank that the memory was not a bad one for her. 

“I eventually climbed out of the tree and rode home before my brother was even done. I had seen enough. For days I felt so shocked by what I had seen that I avoided him for once. I couldn’t bear to look at him, too astounded by it all. But as time went by I began to calm down, and I knew it made no difference to me. Eicca was my brother, I loved him and it was none of my business what he did with other men. I just didn’t want him to feel such sadness because of his need to hide it.”

“I never told him that I had seen.” Ava smiled gently, caressing the frame in her hands as she stopped pacing for a moment. “I kept the secret, I never told a single soul. I didn’t get upset when he would disappear, I just quietly got on with my life. But it didn’t last long… My parents eventually found out. Eicca was the eldest, and their only son. It was high time he should be married. They had been saying it for years, but one night they started arguing they were going to arrange a marriage for him, and Eicca… my sweet, passionate brother… He grew so enraged he ended up spilling his secret himself, screaming it in my parent’s faces.”

Ava sighed and shook her head, continuing with her pacing again as Frank kept silent. He wasn’t sure where the story was going, and he got the distinct impression Ava was talking about a time completely different to the world they lived in now. He was imagining her living in 18th century Italy, fitting the furniture of her home. Although the thought should have been nothing but imagination, it just seemed to fit. 

“What happened next?” Frank eventually asked, his voice coming out quiet and hoarse. Ava seemed lost in thought, but at the sound of his voice she shook her head and continued with her story. 

“My parents were not impressed.” She sighed, looking away from the frame and facing forward again. “We lived in a time when two men loving each other was enough to get you killed. Eicca left that very night, racing from the house on his horse with nothing but the clothes he was wearing. And I… I followed him. I caught up with him just outside the farm and insisted I was going with him, wherever that might be. I wasn’t going to lose him, and I didn’t care about what he was.” 

Ava paused and looked at Frank, meeting his gaze with cool eyes. “The reason I’m telling you this Frank, is because it is imperative that you understand how important my brother was to me.” She said calmly and sternly, waiting until Frank gave a stiff nod before turning away again and continuing. 

“To move on… For three years Eicca and I travelled the country, just roaming wherever we wanted and never staying in one place for long. We were afraid that we might get caught, as if we were criminals or something. But eventually we started to calm down, and we found our way to Florence. That’s where we met Gerard for the first time.” 

Frank took a quick gulp of his coffee then, sensing that he was going to need it for the next bit.

“Gerard and his brother Michael were travelling, they were staying in Florence for just a few weeks. We met them in the tavern we were staying in. We got talking, and before I knew it the entire night had dwindled away as we laughed and talked over drinks. Gerard of course turned all of his attention onto Eicca, but even I could feel the intense charm that both he and Michael seemed to emit in waves. He intoxicated me and he wasn’t even trying, I can only imagine how it would have felt for Eicca.”

Frank could imagine perfectly well how it would have felt for Eicca, he had felt the full brunt of Gerard’s charm offensive himself and even just thinking about it made him tingle, despite how angry he was at the man. 

“Needless to say Eicca fell hopelessly in love with him in a very short amount of time. He was passionate, a true Italian, and Gerard treated him like he was an angel. He seemed to worship the very ground he walked on, and for weeks I was left exploring Florence by myself whilst Eicca would go out on trips with Gerard. The few times I did see him he was so very drunk on love, I couldn’t bear to complain about how lonely I was becoming. I had never seen Eicca so happy… Never. Not in our entire lives. Michael tried to warn me once, he approached me just a few weeks into Gerard and Eicca’s little fling and he warned me… He said that Gerard was bad news, that if I loved my brother at all I needed to separate the two of them. But how could I? Eicca was just so happy, and I didn’t believe Michael, fool that I am.” 

Ava trailed off for a moment, looking sadly at the frame in her hands before her brows began to furrow and a look of pure fury crossed her face. 

“Eicca loved Gerard… He loved him so intensely, in all my years of existence before and since I have never seen love so pure. He would have done anything for that underserving wretch, and for a time I thought Gerard felt the same. He stayed in Florence with us much longer than he had planned, for two months he stayed, but then out of nowhere he left.”

Frank jolted, as if he could feel himself the way Eicca’s heart must have ripped in two when Gerard suddenly left him after allowing him to love him so deeply. Frank remembered how he had felt in the park when Gerard had told him he wasn’t interested, after just one month, a month where Frank had continuously tried to tell himself he didn’t feel anything for the man. He could only image how much more painful it would have been if he had allowed himself to really love him. 

“Eicca was distraught.” Ava whispered, her hands shaking and her eyes filled with angry tears. “I tried to console him, but there was nothing I could say or do. He was sick from heartbreak. He went out every day, asking around for Gerard, desperately trying to find him but I don’t think the man was even in Italy anymore. My brother was like a demon, possessed by the need to fill the empty space that Gerard had left. I tried… I tried so hard to help him…” Ava choked as if on tears, but when she turned to Frank her eyes were dry again. 

“Eicca held on for a month after Gerard left, living like a ghost the whole time. Until finally, wracked with grief, he flung himself from the chapel bell tower in the dead of night and ended his life once and for all.” Ava suddenly threw the frame at Frank, it hit him in the chest and dropped into his lap and he quickly put down his mug so he could look at it. 

“Look at him Frank! Look at his face, look at his beauty and try to think of a reason why a lusting creature like Gerard could not love him.” Ava barked, so full of anger by then that Frank could do nothing but tremble and stare down at the face in the frame. 

The picture looking back at him was not a photo, but a drawing. But even then the beauty of the face depicted in graphite was almost too beautiful for words. Softly curled hair framed the sculpted jaw and cheekbones and trailed delicate, dark fingers down the sides of his neck. Shiny pencil eyes looked dreamily out of the glass, and perfectly cupid bow lips pouted softly as if the man were deep in thought. Frank felt almost in love with him himself, mesmerised by his youthful, innocent look, but before he knew it the frame was being taken away from him by Ava’s snatching hands. 

“I lost my brother… My sweet, sweet angel, because that _monster_ and I swore I would get my revenge.” Ava snarled, putting the picture on the floor so that she could lunge forward and grip Frank’s chin. “I swore I would make Gerard feel the same pain Eicca did, and now I finally have a way.” 

“W – What…” Frank struggled to speak with Ava’s strong grip crushing his cheeks. His heart was racing and he felt overcome with fear, suddenly starting to realise that Ava was not looking to help him. 

“I can’t believe that _you_ are the one person he has finally come to love. But it matters not, you are going to help me get my revenge, and he is finally going to hurt just how Eicca did, how I still do!”

“No!” Frank managed to yank out of Ava’s grip and jump to his feet, but as soon as he did his head swam sickeningly and he almost fell straight back down. He gripped the side of the sofa to steady himself, struggling to focus his vision as the room blurred around him for a moment. “I… What’s happening…”

“That was no valerian I put into your drink Frank.” Ava smirked, not even trying to restrain the man, there was no need to. “I have a fine collection of herbs and flowers in my garden. I had everything I needed to give you a sleeping draught so strong you’re going to be out for a good day or two.” 

“What…” Frank struggled to take in Ava’s words, too dizzy to think straight anymore. He tried to remember what had made him so stupid as to trust her, what made him think it would be safe to go with her. He struggled to remember what she had promised him and slowly met her gaze again as his limbs grew heavy. 

“What are you…” He breathed, his words slurring. 

“I am the female of the same creature as your beloved.” Ava purred, moving forward so quickly Frank almost lost his balance but then his vision focused again and he felt his heart miss a beat as he met Ava’s gaze and found himself staring into two deep black pools. The iris and whites of her eyes had disappeared, consumed by black and with it her beauty seemed to both disappear and intensify. 

“I am a succubus.” Ava whispered and Frank slid to his knees as he tried to remember what those were. “Which would make Gerard a what?” She asked, grinning with amusement as Frank struggled to remain upright. 

“G – Ger…” He slid down onto his front, his fingers clawing at the carpet but it did no good. His words were slurring so badly they were hardly legible, his tongue felt ten times its original size. He slumped onto the carpet without meaning to, his cheek pressing into the coarse fibres as his head swam and spat up the answer for him. 

“Ge…. Ger… Ard…. Incubus…” Frank managed to work the words around his swollen tongue before his vision faded and he blacked out on the floor


	10. Ghosts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter took a while guys. I've moved back home now and have moved in with my man. Things were hectic for a while and my laptop was also off getting repaired for what felt like forever. I finally have it back though and things have settled down again. I didn't get this chapter beta'd because I really just wanted to get it out, so I hope you guys like it and hopefully updates will start becoming a little swifter!  
> xo

How many days had it been? Three… Four… Perhaps more than that, maybe it was weeks, it could even have been months. Years even! God, it had been years, it had to have been… Though of course not, no it hadn’t been years. Not even weeks or months, just one night. Yes… One night… Maybe two… God it was so hard to know.

Eicca was back again, gazing at Frank from one dark corner with his head in his hands. His eyes were sad, but they were so beautiful too. Large and deep and so full of sorrow. Such beautiful eyes. Frank wanted to cup his perfectly formed face and gently press a kiss to each delicate eyelid and run his fingers through the soft silky curls that framed Eicca’s cheeks. Beautiful hair… Beautiful eyes… Beautiful Eicca…

Sometimes Frank tried to speak to the man, but whenever he did the apparition would fade and he would be left alone. Because of course it wasn’t really Eicca. It wasn’t really anything. It was just Frank’s imagination, or a hallucination or something. Frank knew that he was actually alone all of the time, but when he could see the ghostly figure in the corner he didn’t feel quite as alone as before. Ava never saw the apparition though, not even when it would remain in the corner when she entered the room and stare at her for the whole time she was present. That’s how Frank knew it wasn’t real. If it was, Ava would have noticed. 

Ava hadn’t talked to Frank since he had passed out in her living room. She had moved him whilst he was asleep into one of the spare bedrooms, but that was hardly a kindness. To ensure he didn’t try to escape she had chained him to the wall like some sort of animal, laying a heavy iron collar around his neck which was in turn attached to the chain in the wall. It gave him just three feet of range which was nowhere near enough to get close to the windows or the door. There was also no furniture in the room, though the walls were painted a faded pink colour with white borders and intricate patterned detailing in the corners, showing Frank that once this room had been lived in.

Ava left the deep rose curtains drawn at all times, and though the thick fabric was not quite enough to completely block the sun out during the day it only made Frank feel worse. He so desperately wished he could at least see outside, or have the sun wash over his skin. He tried in vain to reach the curtains but no matter how hard he pulled on his chain or stretched out his fingers he couldn’t touch the fabric. Sometimes he tried to plead with Eicca to open them, but Eicca wasn’t real, so Eicca didn’t listen.

Frank had tried talking to Ava a few times too but he had quickly given that up. Ava never responded to anything he said, and deep down Frank wasn’t sure he even wanted her too. The woman utterly terrified him. He could only vaguely remember what she had said to him in her living room, and he was wondering if he had imagined that as well. Even though he had been certain that Gerard wasn’t human it was still too much to take in… An incubus, God how had he not seen that one coming? 

As far as Ava was concerned she had made it clear she only wanted Frank so that she could exact her revenge on Gerard, and that was what scared the human the most. He wasn’t sure what she was planning to do exactly, but it couldn’t be good. Being chained in an empty bedroom wasn’t exactly making him feel any calmer about the whole fucked up situation.

Ava would come in every day and make him drink from a plastic cup and then a glass goblet. The goblet was always full of water, but the cup… Frank had no idea what was in the cup. It tasted foul the first time he tried it, but as he grew used to it with each day he was able to stand its earthy taste a little bit more. He wasn’t sure what it was for, he supposed it was some sort of potion or concoction made from the plants in Ava’s garden but whether it was a weaker sleeping draught, or a sedative or something that slowly killed him he didn’t know. All he knew was that every day he was forced to drink it, and that he couldn’t remember how many days it had been.

Frank’s mind was slowly unravelling, and sometimes he knew it, but mostly he was just lost in a dizzying haze. He had in fact been in the pink room for eight days, and sometimes he was aware of that fact. But most of the time he wasn’t sure how long it had been, whether he had been here for just a few awful hours or whether the days were in fact weeks. It was difficult to keep track of the days even using the sunlight because he slept so much. It was impossible for him to tell whether he had slept for just a little while, or for days on end. And though he knew he had seen both night and day in this room, it was easy to forget that and even easier to forget what it must mean. It was like all of his logic and reasoning had been torn from him.

The only thing Frank knew and never forgot was that he was in danger. That Ava wanted to hurt him. That Gerard was a demon. And that Eicca sometimes sat in the corner opposite him and that he was beautiful… so beautiful.

In the eight days that Frank had been kept prisoner Ava had fed him only three times. She wanted him weak and confused, and though she gave him water on a daily basis she fed him only enough to keep him alive and then it was only scraps from her own dinner. Bits of fat she’d cut from her meat or some left over vegetables that had gone cold and soggy on her plate. Whenever she ate anything especially nice she wouldn’t give it to Frank, she wanted him to feel no pleasure and so far she was succeeding.

As far as Gerard was concerned Ava wanted him to worry. She wanted him to be driven insane with the need to find Frank and know that he was okay. She had yet to fulfil her promise that she’d send Gerard pieces of his precious human in the post, but she knew he wouldn’t have forgotten it. She felt smug to imagine him getting up each morning, dreading opening the door to see if any little gift lay waiting for him, and then feeling even more fear when there never was. She didn’t want to leave things so long that he stopped caring though. She knew from her brother’s experience with the demon that he was fickle and would soon give up on Frank if he didn’t get a hint as to his wellbeing. 

With eight days gone Ava decided that enough time had passed to sufficiently get Gerard on edge and that it was time to take things up a notch. She made her way to the pink room and let herself inside, finding Frank curled up on the floor next to the wall like he always was.

“Good morning Frank.” It was the first time Ava had talked to the human in eight days and the sound of her voice made Frank peer up at her from where his face was hidden in his arms. He raised his eyebrows in surprise and started to visibly shake with anxiety.

Ava sounded pleasant enough, as if she was greeting an old friend after bumping into them on the street. Frank almost wondered if he had imagined her words, but he could see from the smile on her face that she really had spoken to him. 

Frank looked blearily away from Ava for a second to see if Eicca was still in the corner of the room. He found that he was, and that the figure was still gazing at Frank as he always did with those deep, sad eyes. Frank wished he could make the thing talk, wished it was real so that Ava would see it. Maybe if she could she would let Frank go. 

“How do you like your little cage?” Ava smiled, walking closer to Frank and crouching down in front of him. “It’s luxurious isn’t it? But make no mistake, a cage it is.” Ava looked about the pink walls for a moment, smiling to herself.

Frank didn’t need to be told that the room was a cage. He was fully aware that he was a prisoner, and a bit of pink wallpaper wasn’t going to make him forget it. He glanced at Ava for just a second before looking back at Eicca once more. He wondered if Ava would believe him if he said he was there. He wondered if it was just the drink she kept giving him in the plastic cup that made him think he could see him. 

“You know… You should look at me when I’m talking to you.” Ava suddenly lost her pleasant tone and her voice became a soft growl as she gripped Frank’s chin and forced him to look at her. “It’s polite.” 

Frank stared at Ava with blank, bloodshot eyes. He heard a car go by in the street and his heart picked up a beat, but then all was quiet again. There was a soft breeze coming from somewhere, a giant hole in the wall. But then no… Of course there wasn’t. There was only him. Him and Ava. God… What was happening to him?

“Such a pretty thing…” Ava idly brushed the back of her hand against Frank’s cheek, over his ear and into his hair. Her thumb swept by the corner of his eye, making him flinch for a second as Ava smirked. “I can see why Gerard liked you. You’re just his type.” 

Frank wasn’t sure Gerard had a type other than ‘male’. It seemed to him that the demon slept with any man willing, which was in fact most men. He couldn’t stop himself from glancing over at Eicca again, wondering if he had been Gerard’s type too. He wasn’t like Eicca… Was he? Maybe he was… Even as he looked at him the ghostly features seemed to shift subtly until he was looking at his own face surrounded by curls.

“I said _look_ at me.” Ava demanded, yanking Frank’s hair so that his eyes fixed on her once more. Her teeth were now bared and Frank’s heart began to race as he realised he had made her really angry. He hadn’t meant to, it was just so hard to concentrate. It had to be the drink she kept giving him. It had be… He was never usually like this.

“God look at you.” Ava scoffed, suddenly letting go of Frank’s hair and shoving him aside so that he collapsed down onto the floor. “It’s like you’re not even trying. I wanted you weak and helpless but I didn’t expect it to be so easy.” Ava laughed scornfully, tossing her head to shake out her long blonde locks. “Gerard would be so disappointed.”

Frank kept silent as he watched Ava from the floor, curled up on his side like a wounded animal. He knew that she was talking, but he wasn’t really taking it in. He could hear the words, but he couldn’t really _hear_ them. He got the word Gerard all right, but although it set of some sort of alarm in his brain the fog that had been consuming him for the past week descended again before he understand why it was so important. He knew who Gerard was, it wasn’t that he had forgotten anything, he just couldn’t think of the significance of anything anymore. 

“Maybe I should lower your doses.” Ava muttered to herself, falling thoughtful for a moment. She had been giving Frank tiny amounts of Jimson Weed every day, it shouldn’t have been enough to truly affect him, just enough to keep him quiet and subdued. The plant was unpredictable though, and even with hundreds of years of experience in herbalism Ava knew that the symptoms caused by the plant could vary widely. She had been certain to make sure that she wouldn’t give enough to kill or seriously injure the human, but it seemed she had still given enough to warp his mind too much. 

“Well, since you’re doped up this will be easy for you.” Ava smirked, shrugging as she turned and picked up a small leather case that Frank had not notice her bring into the room. He hadn’t had any of the poisonous drink that day, but the effects of the plant could last for days so Ava knew that he would continue to fall in and out of consciousness, struggling to hold onto the present. 

“Tell me something Frank,” Ava spoke absently, busy taking things out of the open case. Frank watched as she produced several medical tools, including a scalpel and forceps. Dressings followed, antiseptic rub and a bottle of little white pills. Frank couldn’t imagine what she was planning, but the site of the scalpel alone sent him into a panic. 

“Which of your tattoos was Gerard’s favourite?” Ava finished her question after laying out all the tools neatly on a piece of fabric. She looked at Frank with an innocently curious gaze, smiling sweetly at him. 

Frank stared at Ava as if he hadn’t understood her. The question completely threw him, and in his hazy state he couldn’t think of an answer. In truth he and Gerard had never talked about his tattoos all that much. Gerard seemed to like them, but he had never indicated a favourite. Frank wasn’t sure that the man would even remember many of them. 

Ava waited patiently for Frank to respond, but it didn’t look like he was going to. She cocked her head to the side for a moment before giving a soft ‘tsk’ and shrugging it off. 

“Fine. If you won’t answer me I’ll just have to choose one myself.” She decided, moving closer to Frank on her knees and suddenly taking hold of his hands.

Frank flinched and instinctively tried to yank his hands away but Ava was much stronger than she looked. Frank whimpered quietly and lowered his eyes to the floor, staying stock still though he was tense and shaking as he let Ava examine his hands and arms. He was wearing the same jeans and t-shirts that he had been wearing when he had left his apartment with Ava, and most of his arms could be seen.

Ava looked carefully at each delicately inked tattoo, examining each one as if it were a specimen under a microscope. Some she lingered over more than others, looking first at one arm and then the other. She then took hold of Frank’s chin, turning his face this way and that so that she could look at the ink on his neck; or at least, as much as she could see that wasn’t hidden by the thick iron collar. 

“How many more tattoos do you have?” She demanded once she was finished. Frank struggled to understand her question and then slowly gestured at his torso with one, trembling hand. 

“M – My legs… As well…” He muttered, fighting hard to keep hold of his mind whilst it wasn’t completely fogged. Sometimes, like then, he would come out of the haze and become more aware of where he was and what was happening. And in those times he dreaded the moment when everything would just become a blur again, but even now he could still see Eicca in the corner. 

Ava tugged Frank up into a sitting position so that she could pull up his shirt and look at the tattoos on his chest, back and round his hips. Frank wriggled uncomfortably but didn’t try to make her stop. He didn’t dare. He held his breath without meaning to as she looked at the different images threaded through his skin and didn’t remember to inhale again until she had let his shirt fall back down. 

“That’s some beautiful work you have there, Frank.” Ava finally commented, still smirking to herself as she turned to the medical tools beside her and picked up the antiseptic rub. “But I think these ones are my favourite.” Ava turned with the rub and took hold of one of Frank’s hands, running the tip of her thumb over the cobweb inked on the stretch of skin between Frank’s thumb and fingers. The word ‘hopeless’ was tattooed above it and on the other hand was a broken heart and the word ‘romantic’ in the same place. They were some of Frank’s more recent work.

“I think Gerard would really like them too.” Ava continued, holding Frank’s left hand gently in hers so that she could rub the antiseptic over the tattoo. Frank watched her through glossy eyes, confused as to what she was doing. He felt a strange sense of fear inside him, as if he should be able to put all the pieces together to know what she was planning to do but it was hopeless. It was worse than being drunk, it was like being completely high as well and he just couldn’t make sense of what was happening even though he could tell it should be obvious. 

Frank watched mutely as Ava rubbed first one hand and then the next, until both the cobweb and the heart were shiny from the rub. Frank was sat up against the wall, his legs crossed in front of him, but he began to grow nervous as Ava took his left hand again and lay it down onto a board she placed on his knees. 

“Now Frank, I want you to listen very carefully to me.” Ava smiled, idly strapping Frank’s hand to the board by the wrist. Frank gave a small, delicate tug just to see how tightly she had bound him but the only way to move his hand was to move the board with it. Ava let him test it, seeing for herself how stuck he was. 

“Look at me Frank.” She demanded once she had finished binding him. Frank slowly turned his eyes to meet hers, his face pale. “Now… I’m about to do something that might be a little painful.” Ava turned to pick up the scalpel from the cloth holding the tools and immediately Frank’s heart began to race. “But I assure you that whatever I do will not kill you, you’ll heal and you’ll be fine. As long as you _stay still_. If you move, you’re going to lose your fingers. Do you understand me?” Ava looked intently at Frank, holding his gaze as he trembled against the wall.

Lose his fingers… Painful… Would heal… Frank struggled to clear his mind and truly understand what she had said to me. He knew it sounded bad, he knew he didn’t want anything to happen. But the tattoos… the scalpel… he couldn’t make sense of anything. Oh how his head was swimming. He wanted to call out to Eicca in the corner, or was it actually himself? He couldn’t tell anymore, he couldn’t see anymore. He wanted to collapse, he wanted to sleep. It was suddenly so unbearably hot in the room, what had happened to the hole in the wall? Was there ever one? God, what was real anymore?

“Frank.” Ava barked, snapping her fingers in front of Frank’s face so that he looked at her again. His eyes had been wandering around the room, though they didn’t seem to focus on anything. He was starting to breathe erratically, it looked like he might hyperventilate, but Ava didn’t care. “Do you understand me?” She repeated firmly and Frank nodded, not knowing what else to do. 

“Good.” Ava smiled, kneeling above Frank and gripping his hand over the spot he had been bound, to make doubly sure he wouldn’t move. “Remember… You keep still.”

Keep still… Keep Still… Keep Still… Frank repeated the words over and over in his mind, trying to understand them, trying to make sure he did what he was told. He watched blearily as Ava position the scalpel over his skin, and still his broken mind couldn’t connect the dots. He watched as if from a distance, completely disconnected from the whole situation. He was too intoxicated by the Jimson weed, he didn’t know what was going on.

The scalpel pressed down and for a moment Frank couldn’t feel it, could only see the fine bead of blood which started to roll down the side of this thumb. But as Ava started to cut into his hand he felt it. He _felt_ it and it _hurt_.

Ava paid no attention to the sudden scream of pain that erupted from Frank’s mouth, right from the bowels of his chest. If anyone had been walking by the house they would have heard him for sure, but the area was quiet and Ava was confident no one was around. But Frank screamed… He screamed and screamed and sobbed and begged for her to stop. 

The poison in his system was enough to keep Frank still enough, even without him remembering the warning. He could only pressed his back into the wall behind him, throwing his head back until it knocked against the wall too and he howled as loud as he could. The sensation was too overwhelming, part of him felt like he couldn’t really feel it at all, only knew it _should_ hurt, and yet at the same time he could feel the pain more clearly than anything he had ever felt before in his life. 

Once Ava had finished moving the scalpel over Frank’s skin she wiped the blood away with a cloth and used the forceps to gently lift the skin she had cut away from the hand. When Frank saw his tattoo being taken away from him and delicately laid on a steel sheet his head span violently and he passed out from the shock and the pain.

 

Eight days and still there was nothing. Not a sign, not a hint, not so much as a whisper of Ava’s whereabouts and Gerard was starting to feel like he should just give up.

Mikey had stayed with Gerard the whole week, calling up Daisy and telling her that he had had to go on an emergency business meeting to ensure that she wouldn’t bother them at all. He had been working hard to try and find where Ava had taken Frank, and it was only his support that had kept Gerard from giving up. But the older brother was starting to grow tired of all their fruitless searching and was about ready to just accept that he would never see Frank or Ava again. Why should it matter really? He was just a human, and even if Gerard did kind of care for him, there were plenty of others he could turn his attentions to if that was what he wanted. Or more likely, he could just go back to what he had done in the past and flit from man to man and never get into a sorry mess like this ever again.

Mikey wouldn’t let him give up though. He didn’t care how many times Gerard insisted it would be for the best, he knew that he loved Frank and he wouldn’t let him despair. Gerard tried to convince him that he really didn’t care, but Mikey didn’t believe him, and deep down Gerard was grateful that Mikey was around to force him to keep trying.

Mikey had always been the more intelligent one in Gerard’s opinion, and it was Mikey who had had the brilliant plan to go into the town archives and look through every property lease and public record to see if they could find anyone named Ava. Once they had, they would go to wherever the address was, no matter how old the record, to see if they could find a sign of the woman there. It had seemed like a fool proof plan, but eight days in they had still found nothing. 

Gerard was currently tasked with the unenviable job of reading through every newspaper article of the last two hundred years. He and Mikey hadn’t even been in the area that long, but Mikey insisted it was best to be extra vigilant. So, starting from the most recent paper and working backwards, Gerard had sat and read and read until his eyes went sore. 

Gerard wasn’t surprised that he had no sign of Ava yet, but he kept looking if only because Mikey shouted at him every time they stopped. Mikey was a sensitive being, and he seemed to be worrying over Frank more than Gerard was. He couldn’t bear the thought of him being hurt. Gerard didn’t like the thought either, but his walls had all gone back up and he was trying to keep himself detached. He didn’t want to feel the pain that Ava was obviously trying to inflict on him. He just wanted to get Frank back and keep a clear head whilst he did it. 

Every day was harder than the last though, and every night Gerard had struggled to sleep. On the nights he did manage to drift off he would dream terrible nightmares that would have him waking up in horror, sweating and sobbing. He ached right in his core, knowing that Frank was going to be hurt and that it was all his fault. A human he may have been, but he was different to any human Gerard had ever known before, and he didn’t want him hurt… or worse, dead. He wanted him back, even when he tried to pretend that he didn’t. But he had already given up hope. How could they ever find Ava?

“Did you hear that?” Mikey suddenly looked up from the public records he was perusing, his eyebrows raising. Gerard looked up from the newspapers with a shrug, his neck aching from where he had been hunched over the table all day. 

“No.” He said simply, going to look back at the article he had been reading, which had actually been kind of interesting although it didn’t hold any mention of Ava. 

“It sounded like mail.” Mikey insisted, pushing his chair away from the table to go and take a look. Gerard didn’t look up from his paper this time, shrugging again.

“It’s the middle of the afternoon, the mail has already been.”

Mikey ignored Gerard, certain he had heard something hit the floor in the hallway. When he left the kitchen he found that he was right and he quickly strode down the hallway to pick up the tiny parcel which had been pushed through the letterbox. It was a fairly flat, but wide red box tied with a white silk ribbon. It looked almost like a Christmas present and Mikey frowned as he read the words ‘Gerard, love x’ written in neat script on the tag attached to it. 

“Gee…” Mikey turned away from the door, gift box in hand. “There’s a… parcel here for you.” Mikey felt a strange sense of fear holding the little box and he knew he didn’t want to open it. He walked into the kitchen slowly, frowning down at the little box before looking up to look at his brother. 

Gerard waited until he had finished reading his article before looking up at Mikey. He immediately saw the anxiety in his face and he felt his own body tense as he moved his gaze to the box in Mikey’s hands. It was obvious who it must have come from, after all, Gerard had no friends and the only person who should have known where he lived was Mikey… But if Ava had found out about Frank by following him, it was entirely plausible that she would know where he lived. 

“Was there anyone outside?” Gerard asked, getting to his feet and taking the box from his brother. 

“Damn, I didn’t think to check.” Mikey gasped, turning and running back down the hall to check the street. Gerard stayed where he was, just staring at the gift box in his hands. It was neat and beautiful, but it filled him with dread. He hadn’t forgotten Ava’s threat about sending him pieces of Frank, and he didn’t want to try and guess what might be inside the box. He was tempted to not open it at all, but it was the only contact Ava had made with them since Frank had gone with her and he knew he had to see what was inside. 

Gerard sat down slowly at the table, laying the box down in front of him. He laid his hands in lap, just staring at the white ribbon and little tag as he waited for Mikey to come back. 

It didn’t take Mikey long. Gerard heard the door slam shut again and soon Mikey was back in the kitchen, looking annoyed at himself as he shook his head. 

“I’m sorry Gee, there was no one out there. I ran to the end of the street.” He sighed, so disappointed in himself. He should have thought to look outside as soon as he saw the parcel, but he had been too confused by the little gift. He wouldn’t be so foolish next time though, if there was a next time. 

“What is it?” He asked when Gerard didn’t as much as look at him. He sat down in the chair next to Gerard’s and clasped his hands in front of him on the table. He looked at the box and then back at Gerard, biting his lip nervously. “Are you going to open it?” 

“Course.” Gerard whispered, though he continued to hesitate as he stared at the box. It was too flat to hold fingers, which is what he had first imagined he would be sent. Perhaps it was teeth, or maybe it was just something small to begin with. He found himself hoping it would just be hair, or even nails, something which would grow back and wouldn’t hurt Frank too much. 

“Go on then…” Mikey encouraged softly, knowing that Gerard didn’t want to see inside, and Mikey didn’t want to either, but both brothers knew they had no choice. 

Gerard waited just a moment longer before slowly nodding and reaching out to touch the ribbon. He realised with a jolt that his hands were trembling and he took a moment to gain control over his body and mask his emotions as expertly as ever. His hands grew steady and he took a deep breath, carefully smoothing out his expression until he looked calm and practically bored. It was the only way he felt safe, when he was pretending not to care, and he made sure he didn’t let any emotion peek through as he slowly untied the ribbon and lifted the lid on the box. 

Both Mikey and Gerard released the breaths they’d been holding when inside they saw a neatly folded piece of cartridge paper resting on top of purple tissue paper. Whatever lay beneath couldn’t be seen and they were given another moment of torturous waiting as Gerard took the paper out first and unfolded it to read the message written in the same neat hand as the tag. 

_Gerard,_  
I hope you haven’t missed me too much. I’ve been busy getting to know your little pet, but I made a promise to you before and I never break my promises; unlike you, my love.   
I hope you enjoy the little pieces I’ve sent to you. I know you must your beloved, perhaps these little tokens will numb the ache just a little. More will be coming soon, I’m sure you’ll look forward to them.  
Ava x 

Mikey read the note over Gerard’s shoulder, his heart racing as he did so. Once he was finished he turned to look at Gerard’s face but the older man was giving nothing away. He folded the paper back up slowly, his face still carefully expressionless. Mikey sighed, wanting to reach out and touch him, to comfort him, but he knew Gerard would only brush him away if he did so for now he kept still.

Gerard put the note aside and took another deep breath. His stomach was churning and he felt queasy, but he ignored it as best he could and focused on delicately folding back the tissue paper inside the box. 

Mikey leant closer, dreading what they might find but needing to see. The anticipation was killing him, but as slowly as Gerard moved the paper aside it wasn’t quite slow enough. When Mikey saw what lay inside the box he wished Gerard had gone slower, slow enough so that he never would have revealed the pieces of tattooed skin nestled in the paper. 

For a long moment neither man said anything, but both stared silently at the hopeless romantic tattoos inked into the ovals of skin which had been neatly extracted from Frank’s hands. Mikey had never met Frank properly, but he wasn’t stupid and he knew that these tattoos had belonged to Frank. Gerard on the other hand, as much as Frank may not have believed it, knew exactly where the tattoos had been located on his lovers body and for a moment he could see nothing but Frank’s hands, and the way they could caress and tease and touch… or the way they had crunched up into fists when Gerard had angered him in the park. That was where the tattoos belonged… not on grizzly pieces of bloody skin lying in a gift box.

As the shock began to wear off Mikey felt tears building in his eyes. He had seen some awful things in his existence, but imagining Frank having his tattoos cut away from him made him feel sick and emotional. Gerard though still looked like a statue… that was until all of a sudden he grabbed the box and flung it away from him in a sudden burst of rage. 

Mikey gasped and jumped in surprise, a small sob escaping his lips as he watched in horror as the pieces of skin stuck to the wall the box had struck and slowly slid down it. Mikey could have thrown up then, but he forced himself to look away and compose himself. Gerard needed him.

Now that he had lost the control on his emotions Gerard was unable to reign them back again and he couldn’t stop himself from yelling every curse he could think of, cursing Ava and promising he would see her dead for what she was dying. 

Mikey rushed to Gerard’s side and pulled him tight into his arms, holding him to his chest and not even wincing as Gerard pounded his fists against him for the longest time. Mikey knew that he was hurting, he could feel it as surely as if he was Gerard too. The connection they shared was strong, and Mikey didn’t shut out a single bit of the pain. He held Gerard tightly, kissing his cheeks and hair and whispering that he understood, that they would find her and kill her together, that she would pay for hurting an innocent in her foolish attempt to get revenge. 

“We’ll find her Gerard, I promise… We’ll find her.” Mikey whispered, running his fingers gently through Gerard’s hair. The older of the two hid his face in Mikey’s neck, and for the first time in a long time Mikey was stunned to feel wetness against his skin and he realised with a lurch of his stomach that Gerard was crying.

 

Frank didn’t wake up again until the night had been and gone and the sun of the morning after was straining to get through the curtains. He stirred awake slowly, and opened his eyes only when he was awake enough to feel the harsh throbbing pain in his hands. He pushed himself upright as best as he could and then slumped back against the wall, looking down to see the damage.

After cutting away his tattoos Ava had cleaned and dressed the wounds with care. She had not spent centuries of her life simply following Gerard and doing nothing else. She was interested in many things, and had endeavoured to educate herself in many fields. Not only did she know all about plants and how to use them, but she was also knowledgeable in many aspects of medicine and surgery, and had she had pursued her interests always knowing that if she could become an expert in something, one way or another she could use it to her advantage against Gerard.

The wounds left behind were covered in bandages and for that Frank was grateful. He could remember what had happened, and now his mind was a little clearer after not having been given the poison drink for forty eight hours he could understand what had happened. He knew if he was to take those bandages away his tattoos would be missing, and in their place God only knew what was left behind. The pain was more than enough for Frank, he didn’t need the visual as well.

Frank looked away from his bandages and tipped his head back for a moment, struggling to gulp down the lump in his throat. Tears were stinging in his eyes, but whether from the thought of losing his tattoos or from the pain itself he didn’t know. He didn’t want to cry, he didn’t want to beaten by some psycho woman and her centuries old grudge. But it hurt… it hurt so much and he wanted to be out of here. He wanted to go home, he wanted to be in his apartment and feel the sun coming through the windows. He wanted to see Corey, he wanted to go to Daryl and get his job back, he wanted his old life. He would give up the drink for good, he would never touch a single drop of alcohol if it only meant he could leave this place. He didn’t even care if he never saw Gerard again.

Frank fought back a quiet sob and opened his eyes again, looking across the room and scowling when he saw Eicca sat in his corner, staring straight ahead as always. Now that he wasn’t feeling as hazy and as foggy as before Frank was almost afraid by the apparition, but then he remembered that there was no need to be. It was only his imagination.

“You…” He whispered, his voice rough and unused. “Hey. You. Look at me.” 

Eicca did nothing, he didn’t even blink.

“What even are you?” Frank rasped, starting to grow angry as tears dripped from his eyes. He got onto his hands and knees, the wounds in his hands burning fiercely as he leant his weight onto them and began to crawl forward.

“Look at me you son of a bitch.” Frank growled, crawling towards Eicca until the chain on his collar grew tight and stopped him getting any closer. The figure in the corner still hadn’t moved. It looked solid enough, but then Frank remembered it wasn’t real and it seemed to grow translucent, like a ghost or a memory. 

“You know what she’s doing isn’t right, don’t you?” Frank whispered, his voice trembling as he cried. “You knew she shouldn’t have taken my tattoos away…” Frank started to sob then, the tears coming forth unbid. “You should have stopped her… You should have helped me.” Frank leant onto one hand and reached out with the other, desperately trying to touch the apparition but it was far too far away. 

“You should have helped me… YOU SHOULD HAVE HELPED ME.” Frank screamed and tried to lunged forward, his hands scrabbling first in the air and then on the floor. He scratched and tore at the carpet, trying to fight against the chain and reach Eicca, pulling hard and sobbing until the collar began to choke him where it pressed against his throat. 

Eicca remained facing forward, unblinking, unmoving. He didn’t respond to Frank’s sobs. He didn’t do anything. Because Eicca wasn’t real. 

He wasn’t real.


	11. A problem like Eicca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys,  
> Once again another apology about lateness but this time I can't even try to promise I'll attempt to improve the timing. I've started my new job now, and because of how short staffed the place I work at is the hours are just being piled on. I'm working fourteen hour shifts and I'm lucky if I get a half day off once a week. As such this chapter was rushed in a few hours before work today, there's been no beta and honestly I'm just not happy with it. But leaving you guys hanging sucked even more, so I hope you'll find it okay and I really am sorry about the lateness. I WILL be updating as much as I can, I really want to finish this story, I just hope you guys will stick around with me...  
> xo

“Strawberries, cherries and an angels kiss in spring. My summer wine is really made from all these things. Take off your silver spurs and help me pass the time. And I will give to you summer wine. Mm summer wine.”

Long, delicate fingers wrapped around the stem of the wine glass and lifted it up so that the red liquid inside could be examined. Ava’s cool blue eyes sparkled as she swirled the wine around the glass, taking a sip as the radio played quietly on her dressing table. 

“Strawberries, cherries and an angels kiss in spring…” Nancy Sinatra’s voice drifted through the room, carried lazily on the smallest of summer breezes that came through the open window. Ava sang along with her, continuing to gaze at her wine until she could see her reflection in it. 

“Take off your silver spurs and help me pass the time… And I will give to you summer, mmm… summer wine.” Ava smiled slowly at her reflection, enjoying the way she appeared red in the liquid. The radio DJ talked over the last few seconds of the song, loudly announcing that it was the first day of summer break and all the schools would be letting out that afternoon. 

“-And don’t you just remember the fantastic mood you would be in on that last day of school before summer? I used to-” Ava fixed her gaze on her dressing table mirror as she idly reached out to switch off the radio, cutting the DJ off short. His voice annoyed her. But she liked the songs he played. 

The following silence in the room was comforting and for a while Ava simply stared at her reflection and enjoyed the quiet. Frank had been noisy all of the previous day, screaming and crying and pounding his fists against the wall every time he failed to pull his chain out of the brickwork. As a punishment that morning Ava had removed his scorpion tattoo, building up the fear by warning him how easy it would be to slip and catch his jugular. He had cried so hard she almost _had_ slipped, but he had passed out fairly quickly as he had done every morning in the four days she had been removing tattoos.

After the hopeless romantic tattoo Ava had removed the Halloween from his knuckles. The day after that she had taken the flame from his chest. Keeping to the small, easy to take ink for the time being. She wanted to build up, not for Frank’s sake, but for Gerard’s. She wanted him to get steadily more distressed as she started to remove bigger tattoos. Then finally that morning she had taken the scorpion and had delighted in placing it into another red gift box and taking it to Gerard’s house. 

Ava had to take the box at different times of the day, to ensure that Gerard wouldn’t catch her as she delivered the parcel. She knew she could get a courier to take it for her, but the risk of doing it herself was half the fun. Mikey had spent that morning sat beside the front door for hours, and Ava had silently watched and waited from a distance. When he had got up to go inside for just a moment she had raced to push the gift through the letter box, and then had watched as Mikey came dashing outside just seconds later. She knew that the next day he would be more vigilant, but she was confident she would still find a way to deliver the box.

In the meantime she would take care of Frank. She didn’t want the man to die, but even with her medical knowledge and deep care to ensure the wounds she was leaving would heal in time without getting infected she knew that shock was her biggest battle for now. She had stopped giving Frank the Jimson weed drink, but was mixing him another concoction to help with his panic levels. He had thrown up when he had woke up the day she took the Halloween tattoos, and she had given him a strong drink of brandy with the scraps of food she fed him in the evening. But then he had been such a nuisance the day before she hadn’t bothered to monitor him. She would have to today though she knew.

Ava finished the last of her wine and then picked up her hairbrush, running it through her long, strawberry blonde hair. She watched her reflection the whole time, gazing into her eyes and seeing for herself how cold and withdrawn they appeared. Nothing like how they used to be, back when they had been soft and warm and would sparkle just like Eicca’s. She wondered, as she sometimes did, what he would think if he could see her now, but then she pushed the thought away. It wasn’t worth thinking about.

Ava tried not to think about Eicca. The years of her existence had left her feeling confused and unsure about the whole history with him. She was so bent on revenge, so determined to make Gerard hurt that she had lost sight of what Eicca would have wanted along the way. Deep down she knew that she had, but she couldn’t bring herself to admit it. Not now. Not when she had come so far. And certainly not now she was exacting the revenge she had wanted for so long.

Ava sighed and put down her hairbrush, still staring into the mirror. She hesitated a moment before slowly reaching out to touch the glass. She thought she looked beautiful. Beautiful and deadly. She wasn’t who she had been when she was human, and she could see it in her reflection. Not just in her eyes, but in every feature of her face. She wasn’t timid, gentle Ava. She wasn’t sweet, or caring, or delicate. She wasn’t her past self… She wasn’t Eicca’s lovable little sister. Sometimes that upset her… Sometimes it excited her. 

“Eicca…” She whispered softly, still touching the glass. A sudden wave of sadness washed over her, almost impossible to push back.

She knew it was a bad idea to let herself grow thoughtful and reflective. It always upset her. It _angered_ her that in hundreds of years of living, even as the creature she was now, she had had no other indication of anything supernatural existing. She had never seen any ghost or spirit or clue to what happened when humans died. She had never been able to make contact with her brother. But she had tried, oh she had tried. She would do anything to speak to him again, to beg him for forgiveness.

It haunted Ava still… the day that Eicca had died. No one could understand how it felt to lose their brother in such a tragedy. Not unless they had experienced the same thing themselves. Even after so very long, just the mention of a suicide would send Ava’s skin crawling. She couldn’t hear the word or anything associated with it without immediately thinking of Eicca, and seeing again in her mind his broken body surrounded by horrified onlookers.

“God forgive me.” Ava whispered, falling back into her native Italian as she turned away from the mirror and took a deep, steadying breath to stop her tears. 

Sometimes Ava couldn’t stop the images flashing back to her. They weren’t simple memories, they would hit her with a force that in the beginning used to send her reeling, and when she was picturing Eicca’s body and screaming for him to come back it always felt as real as it had the day it had happened. When she was younger it would take her days or even weeks to get over one of those episodes, but now she could brush them aside within minutes with the right amount of willpower. 

It was never easy to remember though. The hardest thing for her was remembering the way Eicca’s eyes had looked. Dead and unseeing as she had cradled his head. It had almost looked as though he was crying, but it was only her own tears that dripped onto his face and rolled down his cheeks. 

The hardest part after that had been the burial. Somehow seeing him get buried made the whole thing final. She had been so distressed watching his coffin get committed to the ground that she had to be dragged away by two strong men, kicking and screaming. She had yet to visit the grave, even centuries on. Nor did she know whether her parents had ever heard about their son’s death, but she supposed they hadn’t deserved to know really. 

Ava shook her head vigorously to clear her head of all those thoughts. It was all too easy to get swallowed up by her sadness and as time went on she had learnt that it was important to get on with her life… or more aptly, to get on with her revenge. She didn’t know if the sadness would ever stop coming, but it was her hope that once she had inflicted her revenge on Gerard some of the pain would just disappear. 

Ava slid her stool back from her dressing table and rose to her feet. She gazed in the mirror one last time, checking her plain white summer dress from all angles before deciding it was satisfactory. She picked up her wine glass and took it with her to wash up before she would spend an afternoon in the garden, enjoying the sun and plucking different plants to make more drinks for Frank. Only then would she go and check up on the boy. 

 

“Daryl, can I have a word?” Corey peered beneath the car Daryl was working on and met his gaze for a second. Even in the dim lighting beneath the car Daryl could clearly see the worry etched onto Corey’s face so he nodded mutely and slid out from beneath the car without a word. 

“What’s up?” He asked as he grabbed a nearby rag and worked it over his hands. All around them the garage was alive with the noise of mechanics working on different vehicles, all of them sweating in the heat. They were booked up full with work to do and Daryl’s head was already aching from such long days at work. 

“I wanted to talk to you about Frank.” Corey said quietly, looking around to make sure no one was listening in. He followed Daryl across the garage to the refreshments table as he spoke. He was absently picking at his nails, pulling off strips until his fingers ached but he couldn’t seem to stop. 

Daryl sighed at the mention of Frank’s name, his headache worsening immediately. He didn’t say anything for a moment, keeping his back to Corey as he poured himself some water from a jug on the table and then gulped down the whole cupful before pouring another. Once he felt a bit more human from the water he turned to look at Corey, shrugging his shoulders.

“What about him?” He asked calmly, trying to appear uninterested. He hadn’t mentioned Frank to any of the other mechanics since he had left other than to inform them he wouldn’t be back for two months. He had tried to forget about him then but he still found himself wondering about him most days. Wondering how he was getting on and if he was okay. He hoped he would return after the two months a new man, but worrying that he wouldn’t kept him up at night. 

“I think there’s something seriously wrong with him.” 

Daryl looked closer at Corey then, raising his eyebrows in surprise. He took a moment to take in the sight of Corey’s anxious eyes and picking hands. He looked like he hadn’t been sleeping much either, his eyes darkly shadowed and his face pale. He looked like he needed a week off work or risk having a nervous breakdown… Daryl kind of felt like that too. 

“What makes you think that?” He eventually asked, trying to keep his voice calm and stop the worry in Corey from escalating any further. It was becoming more and more obvious that the man was dangerously on edge. 

“I’ve been trying to keep in contact with him the last few weeks to make sure he’s okay but I’ll be honest with you Daryl he’s had a few slip ups he’s had to go to hospital for alcohol poisoning and stuff but I took him home afterwards and I dunno he was alright I didn’t really want to leave him but-”

“Corey, Corey calm down.” Daryl interrupted the blonde, holding his hands up to stop him from racing through his speech. “Just take a deep breath and tell me what’s wrong _slowly_.”

“Sorry.” Corey stuttered, pausing for a second and taking a long, deep breath to steady himself before trying again. “I’ve been going to Frank’s apartment for over a week now. I’ve been calling his home, I’ve been pounding on the door… But either he’s not there or he’s inside and he’s not answering the door. When I left him after the hospital I thought he’d be okay at least for a night. He asked me to leave him alone so I did, but now I just can’t get in contact with him again and I really don’t think he’s just ignoring me.” Corey took another deep breath, running his hand through his hair. “I’m just getting a really bad vibe. I think his apartment is empty. His car isn’t outside and there’s just no sign of him. I’m really worried about him Daryl.” 

“Alright.” Daryl nodded to show he had understood what Corey had said, but already he was wondering what he was supposed to do about it. Frank shouldn’t have been his problem, he was his boss not his father. But he did care for Frank, and he was worried about him… especially now Corey had told him all this. 

“Maybe he just wanted to get away for a while Corey… Maybe he went to see his parents, or… I don’t know. Went to a friend’s house.” He suggested with a shrug, but Corey wasn’t calmed by it. 

“You know he doesn’t speak to his family anymore.” He pointed out quietly, looking around to check again that no one was listening, not wanting to humiliate Frank by having all the other mechanics know about his downward spiral. “And the only friends he has are here. Me and you. We’re the only ones he had left, and now I can’t find him.” Corey was starting to grow distressed, feeling almost like he was about to start crying though he forced the tears back, embarrassed by them.

“Alright well maybe he went to rehab then.” Daryl sighed, really not wanting to consider the idea that Frank was in danger. Perhaps already dead. Maybe it was just the heat and his tiredness making him jump to conclusions, but he couldn’t stop from automatically picturing Frank’s dead body inside a crushed Chevelle. He didn’t want to believe that Frank would kill himself, but he knew that the man had a tendency to drive after drinking. 

“Seriously Daryl?” Corey frowned, quirking an eyebrow at him. “You think he would just up and go to _rehab?_ This is Frank we’re talking about here, he couldn’t even keep up his AA meetings regularly. He wouldn’t have just gone without talking to me, I know he wouldn’t have.”

“Corey I really don’t know what you want me to say.” Daryl groaned, running a hand through his hair and putting his water down to light up a cigarette instead. “He only has a couple more weeks until his two months are up and he can come back here. Maybe his night in the hospital knocked some sense into him and he’s gone on a crash course to get clean in time to come back here.” Daryl wanted desperately to believe that was true, or at least a possibility, but if Frank hadn’t made a turning point already he couldn’t imagine him doing it then. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he was worried too. 

“I wish I could believe that Daryl.” Corey sighed, breathing deep and slow to keep his tears at bay. “I don’t know what it is… I just get a really bad vibe about this whole thing.”

“Well… What do you want me to do?” Daryl asked, taking a long drag on his cigarette to calm his frayed nerves. “If you’re here asking for permission to ring the cops or something then go ahead. File a missing person report, call round the local hostels and hospitals for a sign of him. I don’t know Corey, just _do_ something if that’s what you want to do, but I can’t help you.” Daryl turned to pick up his glass of water again and then strode past Corey. As far as he was concerned the conversation was over. 

Corey stood still for a moment, staring straight ahead at the back wall of the garage as dread flooded him. Daryl had made some sensible suggestions, but the mental image of Frank dead and alone in his apartment was haunting him as it had done all week. He hesitated for a long moment, waiting until the image felt like it was going to consume him and he suddenly turned and ran after Daryl. 

“Daryl wait!” He begged, rushing to get in front of him and then he walked backwards across the garage so that he could hold Daryl’s gaze. 

“You’re right, I should probably ring around everywhere for a sign of him.” He nodded, holding his hands up, trying to get Daryl to stop and listen. “But before I do that I really just need to be certain he’s not in his apartment. When I left him there he wasn’t in a good frame of mind, and for all I know he’s still in there. He could have just spent the week in bed drinking and doing nothing else until it killed him.”

When Daryl continued to keep walking Corey gripped him by the shoulders, forcing him to stand still. “Daryl all I’m asking is that you help me get into the apartment. If I do it on my own I don’t think I’ll be able to cope with what I might find.” 

“Corey.” Daryl sighed, forcefully pushing the blonde’s hands off his shoulders. “Are you asking me to help you _break into_ Frank’s apartment?” He demanded, raising his eyebrows at Corey to try and convey to him how ridiculous that was, but to his shock Corey nodded with a clear exhale of relief. 

“Exactly.” He smiled, glad that Daryl was starting to catch on, but he was soon to grow stressed again when Daryl only rolled his eyes and walked past Corey without another word. 

“Daryl?” Corey groaned, turning and watching his boss walk away, feeling the lump in his throat swell even more and he knew he had to leave or he’d end up making a fool out of himself by crying. 

Daryl was making his way to his office, needing a break to let his headache subside a little before getting back to work. Corey jogged to catch him again, touching his arm and quickly whispering one more thing to him. 

“I really could do with your help on this. I’m going to Frank’s apartment at eight tonight, if you change your mind you can meet me there.” Corey squeezed Daryl’s arm before turning and leaving the garage, hoping that Daryl would join him that night but as he walked out to his car he didn’t hold much hope. It looked like he was the only one left who really cared enough about Frank to actually try and help him.

 

The living room was smothered in papers, boxes and files, until not a single patch of carpet could be seen anymore. Amidst the many documents a demon was trapped in his own personal hell, hunched over the coffee table as he seized up papers one by one and read through them as fast as he could. He was a man possessed, hell bent on finding a clue of Ava anywhere so that he could finally get out of the house and try and find his human. 

Eleven days since Frank had gone with Ava…. And with every day that passed Gerard had become more impatient, until now he wasn’t even trying to pretend he didn’t care about the man. Receiving a tattoo every morning was beginning to drive him crazy and now he couldn’t think of anything except Frank and how desperately he wanted to save him.

Mikey had returned home for a few days, needing to keep Daisy from growing suspicious and without his brother to keep him sane Gerard was beginning to lose his grip. 

For a few days Gerard had wondered if Mikey was simply wearing off on him, making him more sensitive and ridiculous. But now that Mikey was gone he was even worse. It was like worrying for Frank had brought out the human in him. Emotions were not something Gerard was very good at handling, and to have so many of them and to feel them so intensely was making his mind a mess. He needed to _do_ something. Just sitting at home and receiving another piece of Frank every day was going to drive him insane. 

The scorpion tattoo that morning had almost snapped Gerard. The tattoo pieces were getting bigger, and knowing that the scorpion was taken from a risky part of the body he had been unable to stop himself from thinking of how terrifying it must have been for Frank to have it cut away. Especially the tattoo which Gerard knew Frank took the most pride in. The thought alone had sent him into such a rage that Mikey had had to miss his first train just so he could stay and calm Gerard down. He had been hesitant to leave after that but Gerard had shrugged him away, telling him to go home, intent on spending the day focusing on going through all the archive documents they had lain their hands on without anyone there to distract him.

As it turned out Mikey hadn’t been a distraction at all, he had simply been a calming influence, and without him Gerard was consumed by his task. He took no breaks, he didn’t even look up for a moment to stretch the aching muscles in his neck. Instead he just kept staring down, reading paper after paper after paper, until his eyes swam and the words on the page blurred into one. 

As he read through the documents Gerard began to grow more and more distressed. His fingers started to clench against the coffee table until his nails were digging grooves into the wood. He could feel a burning sensation in his eyes, but he wasn’t sure if it was because they were tired or if it was because he was going to cry… It seemed he was crying a lot these days. 

Anger constantly bubbled in Gerard’s stomach and he knew that he would never forgive Ava. He wouldn’t forgive her for hurting Frank, and he wouldn’t forgive her for making him cry. He had spent decades, centuries even, never shedding a tear. Never caring about a single thing. He had been happy, he had been powerful. He had loved finding a different victim every day and drawing all of his strength out of them by seducing them and using their bodies as his personal power battery. Now he was just being drained every day. Every tear, every angry outburst, every night lying awake wanting to be with Frank was sapping him of any excess power he had had left. Even if he could find Ava now he wouldn’t be able to fight her, he was weakened by her psychological torture.

The thing that killed Gerard the most though was knowing that this was what Ava wanted. She was winning, and try as he might he didn’t know how to stop her. It was hard to believe she was doing all of this because of something that had happened so long ago. Gerard could barely remember Eicca anymore. And really, it wasn’t like he murdered the guy. Eicca took his own life, Gerard refused to accept responsibility for that. And it was just so _long_ ago, he couldn’t understand why it should even matter anymore. 

“Eicca…” Gerard growled low in his throat, running both hands through his hair and gripping tightly. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, unable to even read the words on the document anymore. He tried to picture Eicca’s face instead, to not just remember him but to really visualise him. 

Gerard _knew_ that Eicca had been gorgeous. He knew he had soft dark curls that felt amazing when he would run them through his fingers. He knew that he had the deepest, sweetest eyes he had ever seen. He knew that his body was lithe and supple. He knew that he had been exciting. He could even picture all of the separate features, but when he tried to put them all together in his mind’s eye the image was blurred. His memories of Eicca were too old, and in just a few more centuries he would be unable to picture him at all.

Gerard sighed and opened his eyes, staring back down at the documents lying on the table in front of him. Thinking about Eicca wouldn’t help him. It wouldn’t help him understand Ava’s grudge, no more than it would help him actually find the woman. Only staring at hundreds of useless documents had any chance of him finding Ava, and only then if it didn’t make him crazy first. 

“God dammit Eicca…” Gerard snarled, looking down at the paper in front of him and as he said it the words seem to jump at him. The world suddenly seemed to slow down, his head span and his breathing grew short. Gerard leant forward, slamming his hand onto the coffee table and moving his finger to point out the word staring him right in the face. The letters seemed to be bolder, leaping out of the page, and no matter how many times he read over the word, or the words around it, the letters didn’t change. The word was really there, and his hands were shaking because of it. 

_Eicca_.

 

The room was dark by the time Frank woke up. Now that he was being drugged less he was able to keep track of the days, if only because he knew now that each day meant another tattoo being taken. Sometimes he had to count how many had gone to make sure he did know how many days had passed since he had last been awake, but so far he wasn’t sleeping any more than twenty four hours a time. Though considering it was now night and he still only had four tattoos gone he was guessing he had been asleep for just twelve hours this time.

Frank was shaking as he slowly raised his hand to touch the side of his neck. He felt the roughness of bandages against his fingertips but he still winced at the pain his touch brought to his neck. Tears that were never far away began to build in his eyes once again, but Frank was sick of crying. He had tried to summon some strength the day before, tried to break out or cause enough noise that someone outside might hear him but all it had earned him was his favourite tattoo being taken from him. He no longer had the energy or the desire to try and fight anymore.

Frank sat up slowly and slumped against the wall behind him. He looked dizzily at the manacles on his wrists and with some effort managed to realise it was because the collar couldn’t stay on his neck whilst it was healing. He supposed he should be grateful for that at least, Ava was making sure he healed after she cut away his flesh. Yet somehow that made it more terrifying… was she just going to keep cutting away tattoos until he had none left? What would she do then? Would she let him free, or kill him, or just cut away more from his body? Frank wasn’t sure whether knowing would help or make the waiting for each new day even worse.

Frank sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, trying to steady his breathing and racing heart. He felt constantly sick and on edge, he almost preferred it when he was too high to focus on anything. Without the drugs he could feel nothing but pain and fear, and whilst his mind was trying to push him to fight, his body wouldn’t play ball. He thought he was stronger than this, but all he could do was sit against the wall and wait for madness or death to finally take him.

Across the floor in reaching distance a large glass of water had been left out for him, as well as a plate with a few offcuts from meat and one slice of stale bread. Frank gazed at it with disdain, his stomach rumbling with the need for food but he had no desire to eat what was left for him. Ava didn’t know that he was a vegetarian but he wasn’t about to tell her in the hopes it would get him better food. She was leaving whatever she didn’t eat, that much was obvious, and whilst Frank was hungry he was sick of being treated like a stray dog. 

Frank scoffed and ignored the food and turned his face to the corner of the room instead. He now thought of it as ‘Eicca’s corner’ though the hallucination appeared less and less now he wasn’t spaced out on whatever drink Ava had been giving him in the beginning. Whenever she was cutting away the tattoos Eicca disappeared now, Frank supposed because the pain took over his mind until he couldn’t conjure up the image of him anymore. He was now convinced that it was simply his imagination that made him see Eicca in the first place, but he wished his imagination was enough to keep the hallucination around all the time. It would be nice if he could make it talk back as well. Frank was just so lonely, he ached to have something to talk to him.

Eicca’s corner was empty that evening. Frank stared at it for a long time, trying to make the man appear but he couldn’t. He sighed and shook his head, closing his eyes tight for a second before opening them again but still, there was nothing. 

“Eicca?” Frank whispered, biting his lip for a second. God, he really was going crazy now. Talking to dark, empty corners in the hope of seeing a man that wasn’t real. How many days had it been now? It felt like forever, but Frank still didn’t feel comfortable with the thought of turning insane already. He wanted to last at least a few months before losing his mind, but then he only knew he had been losing tattoos for four days… he had no idea how many days he had been here before then.

“Eicca?” Frank tried again, louder this time. He blushed fiercely, feeling ridiculous for what he was doing. He wasn’t even sure if it was worth trying, but he couldn’t stop himself from calling the name another time. “Eicca!”

“Quiet boy, or you’ll wake her.” Frank nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the softly accented voice. For a minute he couldn’t see anything, but then he realised that staring back at him from the darkness was a figure. As he let his eyes adjust just a bit more he realised with a lurch to his already sick stomach that the figure was Eicca. Eicca was looking back at him, grinning at him with a devilish glint in his eyes and not only that… Eicca could talk.


	12. Be Italian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meh... Okay so, couple of thaaangs... One: I quit my job! Decided fourteen hour shifts suck and I miss having time to actually do things for myself... on the other hand, I still have to be a responsible adult (how boring) so I do have another job I'm starting this week, so hopefully updates will be quicker but... possibly they wont be. Ughhh...  
> Two: This chapter is quite short compared to some of the others, and honestly I don't know... I wasn't really feeling it, but I wanted to get something up here so hopefully you guys will disagree with me and think its okay. It's just kind of hard to concentrate at the moment.   
> And threee-ish: There's a bit of Italian in this chapter so I'm gonna go ahead and put the translations at the end of the chapter for you all. Mostly because I don't know Italian and had to use trusty google (which I know isn't all that trusty when it comes to languages) so I apologise in advance to anyone Italian/who speaks Italian for any horrific inaccuracies.
> 
> And thats about it! (I apologise for the insanely long note).

The bottle between Corey’s hands was growing warm from where he had been holding it for too long. It was still his first drink of the night, but Daryl was already onto his fifth beer. 

Frank’s apartment had been empty. The two men had gained access by calling a locksmith and convincing him they lived there together. Daryl had been embarrassed by the gay pretence, but Corey hadn’t even thought twice about it. They needed access to Frank’s apartment, and he didn’t want them to draw attention to themselves by trying to break down the door or pick the lock. He also knew it would be much less suspicious if they acted like a couple rather than just two strange men trying to get into a locked apartment. They had also given the locksmith Daryl’s card for the garage, telling him they had left all of their identification there but that if he needed to contact them he could find them there. They knew the man never would come to see them because he wasn’t going to get into trouble for opening the door… They weren’t thieves. 

Despite knowing they had only good intentions Corey had still felt a little uneasy as they had searched the silent apartment. It had been clear very quickly that Frank wasn’t home, but the two men had looked around in case they could find any sign of where he might have gone. The apartment held nothing for them though. Everywhere was neat and tidy, even the living room had been cleaned, but they were still none the wiser as to where Frank could be.

This had left them with a difficult situation to deal with. Corey was even more worried about Frank, and Daryl had to admit he was starting to think there might be a real reason for concern. 

Daryl had suggested to Corey that they go for a drink after they had finally left Frank’s apartment. He felt like he needed one, and Corey looked like he could do with something to take the edge off as well. They had driven straight to the nearest bar, ordered a beer each and had tried to figure out what to do next… but two hours later they were still unsure. 

Corey wanted to go to the police and file a missing persons report, but Daryl was unsure. He still felt like they would be over reacting, though he knew you only had to wait for over twenty four hours before a report was viable, and it had been eleven days now since Corey had last seen Frank. 

“Maybe we should go back to his apartment and see if he has a phone book at all. We could try calling his family just to double check he hasn’t gone there.” Daryl suggested but Corey shook his head, staring down at his beer bottle cradled between both hands. 

“He won’t have gone there.” He said confidently, knowing that Frank wasn’t in touch with his family and would never turn to them in a time of need. “I don’t know where he would have gone…” 

“Well it’s obvious he left his apartment by choice. There were no signs of a struggle or break in.” Daryl got the feeling that both he and Corey were worrying the same thing, but both were too afraid to voice their fears. One of them would have to though, and Daryl was starting to realise it would have to be him. 

“He could have been hurt when he left though… Maybe he went out to get another drink or something.” Corey sighed, knowing that Frank wasn’t likely to have been put off drinking by his hospital trip. “He might have gone out late to the liquor store and been attacked or something.” 

“I doubt it Corey.” Daryl sighed, finishing his beer and signalling the bartender for another. “It would have been in the news.”

“Not necessarily. People get attacked every day, it’s not always in the news.” Corey pointed out, though he sounded dejected. 

Daryl sighed as he looked over at him, resting his arm on the bar and biting his lip as he just watched Corey staring at his bottle for a moment. It took him a while, but eventually he managed to pluck up the courage to voice what he had been thinking. 

“Corey you… You don’t think it could be suicide do you?” He asked softly, keeping his voice low so that no one else would hear. Immediately Corey picked up his bottle and took a long, heavy swig from it. The liquid was warm and uncomforting and Corey wished he’d had something stronger. 

Corey didn’t look at Daryl, nor did he make any reply. The thought of it being a suicide had never been far from his mind, but he didn’t want to think about that. Somehow it was even harder to consider than even murder. At least with a murder Frank wouldn’t have wanted to die… With a suicide it would be like a kick to the teeth for Corey who had been trying so hard to help Frank. He didn’t want to believe that his efforts had been too little too late. 

“Corey…” Daryl whispered, hesitating a moment before gently laying a hand on the younger man’s shoulder. “You said yourself that Frank wasn’t in a good way, I think maybe we should consider this as a possibility.”

“I can’t do that.” Corey rasped suddenly, almost cutting Daryl off though he still didn’t look at him. He was fixing his gaze on the spirits hanging behind the bar. It seemed ironic that losing his alcoholic friend was making him feel like he needed to turn to the drink too, but that was exactly what was happening. 

“If he did that… If he… Ya’ know… I couldn’t bear it. I was trying so hard to help him, to let him know I was always around if he needed someone to talk to. If he killed himself I…” Corey stopped, choked by a lump in his throat and he pressed his fist to his mouth to stop himself from sobbing. 

Daryl winced and nodded his understanding, awkwardly squeezing and rubbing Corey’s shoulder. “I know…” He whispered to him, the barman placing his drink down next to him before walking away again. “I know… But I’d feel guilty too. I made him leave his job, I thought I was helping him but he got worse.” Daryl shook his head and turned away to pick up his fresh beer and drank down half of the bottle in one go. 

“If it is a suicide then I won’t forgive myself either.” 

Corey looked slowly at Daryl then, his eyes tired and sad but he seemed strangely soothed by the knowledge that Daryl would be just as tortured as him if Frank really had taken his own life. 

“If he has… ya know… then it isn’t your fault.” Corey eventually whispered, gently touching Daryl’s shoulder in a weak attempt to comfort him. Daryl sighed and forced a smile, nodding his head. 

“It won’t be yours either.” He responded softly, Corey looking unconvinced though he forced a tight nod. The two men held gazes with each other for a moment, coming to understand each other before they both turned to their drinks and said no more.

 

Sometimes it was easy to forget how hot Florence was, until you went somewhere that was cool. Whilst there wasn’t any breeze down on the ground, this high up there was a cold wind that blew so strongly it was almost impossible to balance on the edge of the wall. It caressed Frank’s skin and whipped his hair about his face, and for a few minutes it was pleasant to just enjoy the way his skin was soothed by it. 

Frank had not really known how hot he had been the past few days. He had been so possessed with his need to find Gerard that he had been enflamed by it. He hadn’t had time to notice how feverish he had become, or to realise that the burning sun had been dehydrating him and warming his skin to an uncomfortable degree. 

Whilst all the tourists and public in Florence had spent afternoons lazily milling around, or sitting in the shade where possible, enjoying fine food and wine; Frank had been rushing around the city, never able to concentrate on anything but his need to see Gerard again. To hold him, kiss him… to tangle himself around him if only for one last time. It was driving him mad. It was consuming his entire soul. He was _burning_ with it. 

The past few days had been the hardest to cope with. Each day without his lover was harder than the last but the pain inside him had now become so strong that he couldn’t bear it anymore. Nothing anyone did or said could console him. 

He was a passionate man, he was Italian for goodness sake! Love, lust and desire made up his basic DNA. His body was a tool of sex. His veins were rivers that flowed with crimson passion. His very core was left wanting now that his love had gone. His soul could not be calmed, no more than his body could be. He could not eat. He could not sleep. He would walk all day and all night, searching for Gerard until his body would refuse to move him any further. And then he would lie wherever he could, be it a bed or a dark alley somewhere and claw at his skin, needing to remove it, to remove everything! Everything he was made of had been touched by Gerard and every touch had left a burning imprint. A fire that could not be extinguished and grew ever more enraged. It was _killing_ him.

Frank had known for some days now that he could not continue like this. He was still partly convinced that Gerard would return. After all, Gerard must know how he felt. They had shared a connection that could be nothing but supernatural, he had been certain of it. Gerard was not like other men, he was special… He was magical; He must know how he was feeling and he must come to save him before the pain became too much. Only Gerard could soothe the burning, and he loved Frank… He would not leave him like this. He would not let the flames consume him.

“Il mio amore, posso aspettare non più!” Frank looked up to the sky and screamed to the heavens, spreading his arms like Christ on the cross. The wind buffeted him from all sides, as if he was calling up a storm. His heart began to race as he became certain that somewhere, somehow, Gerard could hear him… His angel could hear him, and he would swoop down from the sky and rescue him.

“Vuoi dire per me bruciare per sempre!?” He screamed, staring unblinking at the sky until his eyes began to burn with tears. “Perdonami! Salvami! Io sono tuo eternamente!” Frank began to lose volume in his voice as he started to cry, tears streaking down his cheeks as he wobbled precariously on the edge of the building. His hands had begun to shake, but he continued to look upwards though the sky was blurred by his tears.

“Ti amo…” Frank whispered, his voice choked. “Prego… Non fatemi bruciare.” 

Frank stared upwards. He waited… He waited for a response. He waited for a sign… Anything to show him that Gerard had heard him and would answer his pleas. But though the wind continued to howl his skin continued to burn and he knew that his lover was not coming for him. 

“Gerard…” He croaked weakly, hardly able to believe that an angel would really condemn him like this. He had done nothing wrong. Was his only crime that he had loved him? Or was he simply not making it clear enough how desperately he needed him back. Perhaps begging was not enough, he had to prove that he could not live without him. 

Frank slowly moved his gaze away from the sky to stare down at the busy street below instead. The people moving were small from so high, and blurred by his tears. He watched them for a long moment, contemplating what he was about to do but no fear came to him. Gerard would save him… He knew that he would.

Frank slowly lifted himself onto the tips of his toes, still staring down at the Earth below. He may as well have been staring into the fiery pits of hell itself. Now that Gerard was nowhere in the city it no longer held any pleasure for him. It was easy to imagine himself plummeting towards it, easy to think of how Gerard would appear as if from nowhere to catch him before he hit the ground and go swooping back towards the heaven. A small leap of faith was an easy task to complete in order to gain an eternity with an angel. 

Frank glanced up at the sky one last time, closed his eyes and savoured the feeling of the wind on his face. He licked his lips, flexed his fingers, took one last steadying breath and then… 

“Gesù!” Frank shot upright with a gasp and a shout of a word he didn’t even know. His eyes were wide and sweat was dripping down his temples, but the pink room was bright with sunlight coming through the gap in the curtains and Eicca was watching him from his corner… It was all as it had been when he could last remember. And yet Frank could still feel the wind in his hair and the way it had seemed to push back against him as he plummeted towards the streets of Florence.

Though Frank had Italian blood in his veins he had never so much as visited the country, let alone could speak the language. He was certain his knowledge of the language of love was limited to the few common words that everyone knew. And yet he had whole phrases in his mind, and more than that he knew what each word meant as if Eicca’s memories were now his own. 

Frank wasn’t sure if what he had experienced had been a hallucination or a dream. But either way what he was certain of was that it was shown to him from Eicca’s memory. During the vision he had been himself, and yet he had also been Eicca… He hadn’t simply seen what had happened, he had _felt_ it. As surely as if he was living through the moment himself, and even though he was back in the room as before, he still felt shaken.

Eicca’s eyes were cool and unemotional as he watched Frank from his corner. Frank half wondered if Eicca could feel the way his heart was still racing, pounding in his chest as if he was still falling and his body was waiting for the impact. Now he understood why Eicca had jumped… He hadn’t simply wanted things to end. He had wanted them to end with Gerard coming to his rescue, like some sort of winged superman. If only Eicca had known that the man he loved was a demon.

Frank felt weakened by his out of body experience and for a long moment couldn’t even speak as he just stayed slumped against the wall behind him. He looked at Eicca until he couldn’t bear it anymore and then he closed his eyes, taking long deep breaths to steady his racing heart. 

When he had last been aware of being in the room it had been dark and Eicca had talked to him for the last time. Now that it was daylight Frank could guess that it was now the next day and that any minute Ava would arrive to take another tattoo from him. The thought made him wish that had stayed in Florence and died there just like Eicca had.

“I do not want you to die.” 

Frank opened his eyes slowly to look at Eicca, the man’s thickly accented voice bringing him back to the moment. Eicca was more obviously Italian than Ava, his accent was strong and he spoke much slower, having to think about his words first. Frank still wasn’t sure if he was a ghost or something else, but either way it was clear he hadn’t moved with the times like Ava had. 

“You could still survive this.” Eicca promised, leaning forward closer to Frank. “If you do not give up.”

“I think it’s too late for that.” Frank whispered, and even to his own ears he sounded weak and exhausted. Just knowing that Ava was going to come in soon was enough to take all of his fight out of him. 

“You need to keep fighting boy.” 

“Why? You didn’t.” Frank pointed out quietly, closing his eyes again when it was too difficult to keep them open. Ava hadn’t been drugging him recently, but he was beginning to feel like he was high again. It was getting harder to hold onto the moment and to form sentences together. He was trying hard, just because he needed to talk to Eicca, but he was fully aware that his mind was in a delicate state. He knew that he was dying, but he didn’t want to think about it. 

“You understand why I didn’t.” Eicca scowled, seemingly insulted. “I was a fool for loving a demon. I let it destroy me, you cannot do the same.” 

“I don’t love Gerard.” Frank whispered, breathing slowly. Even as he said it he knew it was a lie. He couldn’t pretend that he hadn’t spent many hours thinking about all that had happened between him and Gerard and how desperately the man had tried to stop him from going with Ava. He had hoped, as much as he didn’t want to, that Gerard would save him. 

“He will not save you.” Eicca spoke up, interrupting Frank’s train of thought. “He did not save me.” 

“You thought he was an angel.” Frank scoffed, laughing hollowly and making Eicca scowl even more. “I know what he is… And he actually loves me.” Frank wasn’t sure what made him believe that. Perhaps he was delusional just like Eicca had been, but he was past trying to make sense of his thoughts. 

“Fool.” Eicca whispered venomously, his eyes boring into Frank. “Have you learnt nothing from what I’ve shown you!?”

“I don’t even know if what you’ve shown me was real.” Frank hissed back, opening his eyes again to look coldly at Eicca. “I don’t know if _you_ are even real. Or if you’re just a fucking convincing hallucination.” Frank’s voice remained soft, barely above a whisper but the amount of force he put behind his words sapped him of his strength, but he had started now and he couldn’t stop. 

“I’m going to die in this room, oh fuck, I know I am.” He gasped, feeling tears sting in his eyes and he slumped down the wall a little more. “Everything hurts… It hurts too much… I don’t want to even keep trying anymore. Can’t you see I don’t want to keep trying?” He demanded, clenching his hands into fists before immediately relaxing them again when the wounds where his tattoos had been seared with pain. He gasped loudly and began to sob, unable to stop himself from letting the tears fall.

Frank had been determined not to cry, determined not to let Ava break him; but now he couldn’t even try to be brave or strong. He was terrified, and he was weak. All of his energy was disappearing, he wasn’t sure he could even last another day. Certainly he wouldn’t be able to last another day and cling onto his sanity at the same time. He was so confused… so lost. He didn’t know what or who Eicca was, and he was starting to become unsure of who even he was. Or Gerard for that matter. Only madness could explain why he suddenly felt certain that a sex demon could ever actually love a human.

“Frank… Frank, you mustn’t lose hope.” Eicca whispered gently, trying to crawl towards Frank but it seemed as if some invisible force held him back. He could not move any more than two feet from his corner. “You must be strong, you can survive this Frank. I’m telling you, you can survive!”

Frank’s sobs hurt his chest as he slumped against the wall and just cried without care. He could only vaguely hear Eicca, but he was past being able to believe him. He was being swallowed by despair and madness. Eicca was only so real now because he had slipped too far into insanity, it was foolish to trust a hallucination, just like it was foolish to trust a demon. 

“God save me…” Frank whispered hoarsely between his tears, swallowing thickly and making the side of his neck burn where his scorpion should have been. He couldn’t see the room properly any more, only a thick pink blur and he wasn’t sure if Eicca was even around anymore or not. He could hear footsteps though, the familiar sound of Ava approaching the room and he knew this was it. He was going to die. He couldn’t take one more tattoo being removed. It was going to kill him. He knew it was.

“God, save me.”

 

“See!? Do you see!?” 

“Yes, yes I can see.” Mikey had just finished rubbing his eyes and was staring down at the page in front of him. He was half certain he was going mad, but Eicca’s name was still there in black and white, and he and Gerard couldn’t both be just seeing things. 

“Had we looked at this list before?” He asked uncertainly, turning the page over in his hands before staring once more at Eicca’s name. “We wouldn’t have missed this…”

“We haven’t looked at it.” Gerard said confidently, looking at the paper over Mikey’s shoulder. “I’m sure we haven’t… We were looking at properties and news articles. I was just looking at this because I wasn’t even paying real attention to what I was doing anymore.”

“Well thank God for that.” Mikey whispered, his eyes still wide in shock. 

Gerard had called Mikey just a few hours earlier, insisting he had to come back _right now_ and that it was an emergency. When Mikey had heard it was a lead on Eicca he had been unsure at first. Daisy was starting to worry over why he was gone all the time, and he was struggling to keep coming up with reasons. In the end he simply told her it was an emergency with Gerard and hoped that would be enough before getting the first train back to his brother. Now they were both sat on the living room floor, staring at the document Gerard had unearthed. 

“Do you really think this is any use to us?” Mikey asked gently, allowing his initial shock to subside a little before trying to think rationally. 

The document itself was nothing more than a list of regular buyers at a local antiques shop. It had come as part of a small folder with archived documents pertaining to the building, and really it was no surprise that neither brother had opened the folder before. Gerard had obviously just picked it up and gone through it without thinking, but according to the page he had found, Eicca was a regular customer at the shop… Or at least, he had been a hundred years ago. 

“Obviously it’s not Eicca himself.” Gerard stated the obvious. “But it could be Ava using Eicca’s name… She couldn’t have been using her own name the whole time she’s been here. It’d be too strange and someone would notice eventually. It would make sense for her to use Eicca’s name from time to time. And if we go to this store we might be able to find a paper trail that leads us right to her.”

The excitement in Gerard’s voice was clear, but Mikey couldn’t share in his enthusiasm. The younger brother was too wary to get his hopes up so soon. He knew the only reason Gerard was letting himself hope so desperately was because the thought of being unable to find Frank was driving him insane, and now he had a lead he could follow up he was going to chase it to the bitter end. 

“It even gives us an address of where the furniture purchased was taken to.” Gerard continued quickly when he sensed that Mikey was not sharing in his joy. “I looked up the address while I was waiting for you to get here. It’s an old house just out of town. I checked up the antique store too, it’s not in the same place anymore but the store is still running in a different building, only ten minutes from here. If we go there they might still have the old documents on their regular customers, and we can see if they’ve been sending furniture to this same place for the past century. And if they have…” Gerard trailed off, his eyes sparkling with life. 

“I definitely think it’s worth checking…” Mikey agreed slowly, still gazing at the document. “But, try not to get your hopes up so high Gee.” He whispered, looking up at his brother and slowly reaching out to touch his hand. “If we check this out and it’s nothing, it will crush you.” He warned, but Gerard only shook his head.

“It won’t be nothing.” He said coolly, pulling his hand away from Mikey’s. “I know it won’t… I can _feel_ it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italian translations (in order of appearence)-
> 
> "My love, I can wait no longer!"
> 
> "Do you mean for me to burn forever!?"
> 
> "Forgive me! Save me! I am yours forever!"
> 
> "I love you."
> 
> "Please... Do not make me burn."
> 
> "Jesus!"


	13. Diablo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my LORD, this chapter just seemed to take a million years to get out, didn't it? I don't know what it is about me but I just seem incapable of getting myself a job that actually finishes at normal human hours so holy heck I literally sleep and work and sleep and work. I seriously apologise for the lateness guys, I know it sucks and honestly it frustrates me just as much. On the (not so) bright side though, I think the next chapter is going to be the last and this story will finally get put to bed. After that I'm going to take a step back from chaptered fics I think because my spare time is too minimal, though I'll continue to write short stories hopefully.  
> That being said, I hope this chapter makes up for it. I had a lot of fun writing it and its been a long time coming!  
> Xo

The antique store smelt just how Gerard had expected it to… Musty and dusty and just plain _old_. Gerard hated antiques and the people who collected them. After being alive for so long he saw no point in holding onto the relics of the past when the future was so much more exciting and he looked around at the different objects and furniture with a look of disgust. 

Mikey was much more relaxed and was even managing a polite smile as he softly spoke to the owner of the store. He had the sheet of paper with Eicca’s name on it in his hand and was weaving a story about how he was an antiques collector himself and was deeply interested to know about the family who had been coming to the store for so many years. 

“It is the same family I presume?” Mikey pushed, raising his eyebrows at the store owner who simply shrugged. 

“Yes, I think so.” He said simply, his gaze suspicious as he looked between Mikey and Gerard. 

The owner was an elderly man, his grey hair was thin and almost disappeared completely and his hands trembled constantly. He looked as dusty and pointless as his antiques as far as Gerard was concerned, but he could be their key to finding Frank. Mikey had insisted he would do the talking, Gerard was too strung up and on edge to handle anything delicately and the owner was so old any cross words would probably give him a heart attack. 

“And they’ve always lived at this address?” Mikey asked casually, indicating the address on the piece of paper. The owner glanced at it but only pursed his lips in response. 

“I’m sorry, but where did you get this information?” He asked coolly, challenging Mikey’s polite gaze with a stern one of his own. 

“It’s a public record.” Mikey shrugged, keeping his face calm and inviting. Gerard though was already growing impatient and he began to drift slowly around the store, trying to distract himself by looking at the different things for sale. He knew that Mikey could handle the old man, he just didn’t want to stand around waiting for him to do it so gently. He knew they could get whatever information they needed out of him within seconds if he was allowed to just do it his way. 

“Why would there be a public record on this?” The owner asked suspiciously, looking again at the paper in Mikey’s hand. 

“You might be surprised what information you can get from public files if you just cared to look.” Mikey shrugged, smiling innocently. 

“And why would you care about my customers?” The old man retorted, his whole body seeming to shake as he held onto the counter he was stood behind for support. He wasn’t used to standing on his feet for very long these days and was growing impatient with the two men in his store very quickly.

“Like I said, we’re avid collectors of antiques.” Mikey smiled sweetly, leaning one arm onto the counter. “We’re very proud of our collection, we think we might have one of the biggest collections of eighteenth century furniture in the state. However, if this… Eicca person here has a large collection as well, we’d like to get in contact with that family so we could take a look.” 

“So you want me to give you the address?” The old man asked, his brow furrowing as he clearly tried to decide whether to trust Mikey or not. 

“Well, just to confirm for me if it’s still the same address as here.” Mikey smiled, holding up the paper again. 

The old man looked at the address again, hesitating for a long moment before he heaved a long sigh and shook his head. 

“Yes, the family who live at that address have been coming to this store for almost a century. My grandfather owned the store originally and it’s been passed down from him to my father and now to me, and the whole time the Mauro family have been loyal customers.” The old man’s voice grew quieter as he spoke, as if he was becoming weaker from the admission. 

“They have always lived at that address, but I believe only a young woman lives there now. Miss Avaline Mauro.” 

“I see.” Mikey smiled widely, nodding as he folded up the piece of paper and slipped it into his pocket. “Do you know Miss Mauro well?” He asked innocently, already angling his body to the side, ready to leave. 

Gerard had looked up at the name Avaline, knowing just as well as Mikey did that it was Ava. His heart had started to race with excitement, it was taking all of his energy to not turn and run straight for the day. He knew the old man was suspicious as it was without him suddenly charging out as soon as he had got what he wanted, and the last thing they needed was for the police to be called. 

“I know her well enough.” The old man shrugged, still frowning as he looked between Mikey and Gerard. “Why?”

“I just wondered whether you think she’d mind us paying her a visit. I’d be very interested to speak with her. Or perhaps you have a phone number for her and I could call her first, that would be less intrusive don’t you think?” 

Gerard turned away and rolled his eyes, almost growling in frustration. He couldn’t wait another second, not now he was so certain that they knew where Frank was. He had been held hostage by Ava for almost two weeks now, and the only way that he knew he was even still alive was because of the tattoos he kept being sent. He probably had one waiting for him at home that very second, in its perfectly wrapped gift box just waiting for him to open it. 

“Mikey, come on!” Gerard suddenly barked, his impatience getting the better of him. Both Mikey and the shop owner looked up in surprise, the old man in the middle of writing down Ava’s telephone number with a trembling hand. 

For a moment the room was silent, Mikey throwing Gerard an irritated look as the old man blinked stupidly. The younger brother finally turned round again, forcing his best apologetic smile. 

“You must forgive my brother, he lives for antiques and is over eager to see Miss Mauro’s collection.” Mikey was able to turn his voice into a soft, innocently sweet lull and within just another minute he had managed to get the number from the old man and push Gerard out of the store without arousing anymore suspicion. It was obvious the old man had not been convinced that their story was true, Mikey just hoped they had done enough to ensure that the police were not involved. 

“What did I tell you before about keeping quiet?” Mikey growled as he dragged Gerard by the shirt to his car. “It was obvious in there that you were on edge. We’ll probably have the cops at Ava’s house before we get there.” 

“I don’t care.” Gerard scoffed, getting into the driver’s seat before Mikey could. “I have no patience to deal with humans right now. The whole state could be camped on Ava’s drive and I’ll kill every one of them if I have to.” 

“Really?” Mikey drawled sarcastically, sliding into the passenger’s seat with deliberate slowness. “And you try to tell me that you don’t love this man.” He rolled his eyes and shook his head to make his annoyance extra clear but Gerard wasn’t even paying attention, too busy slamming his foot down and getting the car back to the main road as fast as possible. 

“We’re not talking about that right now.” He said simply, his voice calmer than it had been all morning now that he knew he was on his way to Ava’s home. Mikey on the other hand was starting to feel more and more irritated. 

“Well I think we should talk about it.” He said sternly, turning in his seat to glare at his brother. “I think we should talk about all of it.”

“All of what?” Gerard asked through gritted teeth, refusing to move his gaze off the road. 

“You know what.” Mikey responded with equal strain. “About how you’re blatantly in love with Frank and won’t admit it. About how all of this is _your_ fault. About how your broke Eicca’s heart and drove him to suicide and turned his sister in stark raving lunatic!”

“It was not my fault!” Gerard snapped, his foot pressing down more and more on the gas pedal until they were speeding past other cars to a chorus of angry horns. 

“How was it not!?” Mikey demanded, anger rising inside him with astonishing speed. It was as if he had been holding back in his rage for hundreds of years and now, at such a crucial moment, he could no longer hold it back. “You drove that man to love you and then you abandoned him when you knew full well he wouldn’t be able to live without you! Even after I warned you so many times!”

“Why are you only saying this to me _now?_ ” Gerard was driving faster and faster, overtaking cars without care or attention as he grew more irritated. 

“Because it’s about time that you heard it!” Mikey snapped, knowing deep down that he wasn’t helping and that it wasn’t really the right time to start airing old history but he couldn’t seem to stop. 

“Eicca killed himself because of you. I don’t think you’ve ever really grasped how huge that is!” 

“Because I don’t care!” Gerard suddenly exploded, his shout seeming even louder in the small space of the car. “I don’t care, alright!? I don’t care that Eicca killed himself, he meant _nothing_ to me and nothing you say or Ava does is going to change that fact! But I _do_ care about Frank and if we don’t hurry up then _he’s_ going to die so instead of whining about the human who you didn’t save why don’t you focus on the one we still can!”

The silence that filled the car after Gerard’s outburst seemed deafening. Mikey was struck dumb, his anger dissolving as quickly as it had formed as he took in what Gerard had said. 

Mikey shouldn’t have been shocked by anything that Gerard had just shouted. He knew that he had never cared for Eicca and he knew that he loved Frank. And yet Mikey was surprised… He hadn’t expected Gerard to say it, and now that he had he felt a strange surge of love for his brother. 

“You really are an idiot you know.” He whispered, a lump in his throat making his voice hoarse. 

Gerard tensed for a moment, hesitating before he sighed and relaxed too. “I know.” He whispered back, a small smile teasing against his lips. “That’s why I need you to keep some sense for me.” 

Mikey scoffed but forced a soft chuckle and nodded his head, settling back into his seat and closing his eyes for a long moment. He took deep, calming breaths to fully relax and compose himself ready for when they got to Ava’s, ignoring the horns and shouts of disgruntled drivers that Gerard left in their wake. 

 

Frank lay on his front, his cheek pressed into the carpet of the pink room. His eyes were open, but whether he was awake and alive it was difficult to tell. He stared, unblinking straight ahead at the wall opposite, his cheeks wet and swollen from all the sobbing he had done that morning. 

His shirt lay, neatly folded, to the side of him. Ava had taken it off him to remove his next tattoo. He had felt too weak to fight, but she had still strapped him down and had even pushed a leather belt between his lips for him to bite on. She had taken her biggest tattoo yet that morning, and now Frank’s back was stained with blood that hadn’t completely wiped off after losing his jack o’ lantern. 

Ava had cut around the tattoo, but the piece of skin to remove was so large that it had taken her some time to completely peel it away in one neat sheet. Frank had screamed and cried at the top of his lungs, waiting to black out but for once the bliss of unconsciousness wouldn’t come. He had been able to do nothing but lie and take the pain as he had lost another precious image. 

The pain that throbbed through Frank’s back was the only indication that he was still alive, but even he wasn’t sure anymore. He didn’t feel like he was breathing, though he must have been. He couldn’t even think anymore. He could only lie and stare and hope that sooner or later an end would come… whatever that might mean.

Directly beneath the pink room was the kitchen, and though Frank didn’t know it Ava was sat below him, drinking a glass of wine and gazing out the window at her garden.

She had in front of her another gift box, and inside was Frank’s jack o’ lantern. She was going to take it to Gerard’s house, though she didn’t know when. She was trying to keep her timing always different, to make sure Gerard didn’t catch her. She was musing over where she would leave this box, it too big to fit through a letter box. She didn’t want to leave it on the doorstep, in case a member of the public might pick it up. But she wanted to ensure Gerard would find it swiftly. 

It had been difficult to remove the tattoo that morning. Frank had stayed conscious the whole time and his constant screaming had been something of a distraction. 

Now that such a large tattoo had been removed Ava knew that it was going to be a constant battle to keep Frank’s body from going into shock and to keep him alive. She had mixed up another Jimson weed concoction but it was still waiting in a glass in front of her. She wasn’t even sure whether she was going to give it to Frank or not, or whether she was going to just let his body take over.

When she had taken the first tattoos from his hands Ava had felt a buzz of excitement for the remainder of the day. The thought of Gerard opening the gift box and finding the skin inside had given her such a thrill that she had been ecstatic knowing Frank had many more tattoos for her to choose from. It was all just so poetically sinister. She wasn’t simply cutting off body parts or anything as vulgar as that; she was carefully dissecting pieces of precious artwork and using them to make the man she loathed the most squirm.

Removing the jack o’ lantern should have made her positively giddy with delight. Gerard was certainly going to be hurt when he found it. And yet… the box was still sitting on her kitchen table. And instead of ensuring Frank was in a stable condition so she could take more from him she was leaving him alone, drinking wine and just staring out into her garden.

Ava wasn’t sure when, but somewhere along the line she had stopped feeling excited, and now she wasn’t even feeling happy. She found herself thinking about Eicca more and more, not altogether surprising considering that all of this revenge was for his sake. Ava just thought she’d be feeling better about everything now she was doing what she had been trying to do for so many years, but instead she felt lower than ever.

In the beginning Ava had planned to cut away tattoos until Frank had none left and then devise a way to kill the human in a place where Gerard would be sure to see. But now it seemed more likely that Frank was going to die slowly and pitifully in an old bedroom, with none of the theatrics she had originally planned and with Gerard nowhere to be seen.

Ava couldn’t help but wonder then if Gerard even cared. It was a terrible thing really, for an innocent man to be tortured for something that had occurred hundreds of years before he had even been born. And yet Gerard was a demon, he wouldn’t have cared if it was Eicca being tortured so perhaps he didn’t care about Frank. Perhaps the parcels Ava had been sending were nothing more than a slight irritation simply because he then had to dispose of them. Maybe Ava wasn’t driving him crazy, maybe she was just making a fool out of herself for even trying. 

“Argh!” Ava suddenly sat up and launched her wine glass at the wall, frustration bubbling inside her. The glass smashed with a satisfying noise, but all it left was a red stain on her wall which she would have to clean before the day was through. 

Ava couldn’t understand why she was so unsure of her emotions now. She had turned herself into a monster, all so she could bring revenge to Gerard and now that she was doing it, it no longer felt worth it. If she had simply remained a human she would be dead now, long since buried in the Earth beside her brother. Who knows where she would be then. Heaven? Was there even such a place? If there was she would never go there now and she would never see Eicca again. How could anything she did now be worth it when she had lost that chance… 

Ava gasped suddenly, a lump rising in her throat and she was stunned to feel tears in her eyes. She gulped hard, trying to force herself to compose, refusing to cry. She couldn’t lose steam now, she had gone too far and done too much to simply stop. She couldn’t simply let Frank die and then bury him in her beautiful garden as if nothing had ever happened. She _had_ to make Gerard pay.

Centuries of practise meant that Ava was able to compose herself quickly. She stood up slowly and took a deep breath, straightening out her clothes and flicking her hair over her shoulder. She quickly cleaned up the mess from her wine glass, putting the broken glass into the bin before picking up the gift box for Gerard. She decided she would deliver that first and then deal with Frank after.

Ava left the kitchen and strode purposefully down the hall towards her front door. She wrenched it open, determined to get her enthusiasm for her revenge back but fell short and nearly fell right down her front step when she saw a car at the end of her drive. 

Ava felt her eyes going wide, but everything else felt numb. She could do nothing but stare as Gerard and Mikey appeared out of the car, rushing up the driveway towards her before she had time to think. She turned and strode back into the house just automatically, slamming the door shut and hurrying back to the kitchen as her head swam. 

Suddenly, excitement rushed back into Ava, making her laugh hysterically as she put the gift box down on the kitchen table. She had just enough time to grab the bottle of wine she had been drinking from and turn back round before Gerard appeared in the kitchen doorway, his eyes blazing. 

“Ava!” He hissed, his face drawn and pale, dark shadows under his eyes. It was obvious he hadn’t been sleeping and finally Ava felt smug. 

“Gerard, darling.” She purred, grinning even more when she saw Mikey over his shoulder. “I was wondering when I would be seeing you again. Can I get you a glass?” She asked innocently, holding up the bottle of wine for Gerard to see. 

“Where’s Frank?” Gerard demanded through clenched teeth, walking slowly into the kitchen, his entire body tense. 

“You don’t mind if I have one do you?” Ava smiled, ignoring Gerard’s question and sauntering across the kitchen to get herself a fresh wine glass. “I have another gift for you, if you’d like to open it.” Ava nodded at the parcel on the kitchen table, grinning as she poured her wine. 

Gerard glanced at the box automatically, planning to simply ignore it but when he saw the size of it he found himself drawn to it. 

Mikey walked into the kitchen behind Gerard but stood still in the doorway, just watching both Gerard and Ava with cool eyes. He knew that he was going to have to remain as calm as possible, Gerard would be unable to hold back his emotions this time and Ava was too dangerous for both of them to lose their heads. Mikey would have to be calm and calculated if there was any chance for he, Gerard _and_ Frank to make it out alive. 

Gerard himself wasn’t thinking straight at all. He wasn’t sure whether he wanted to kill Ava or look for Frank first, but he was determined he wasn’t going to leave the house until he had done both. He was still in a state of shock that they were even here, it seemed too good to be true that they had found Ava at last.

Gerard approached the table and picked up the red box waiting on there for him. Ava watched him carefully from over the rim of her wine glass, her heart starting to race with excitement. This was what she had needed… to be able to see Gerard’s face when he opened the box. It was practically fate that he had shown up at her door. 

“I must confess I’m surprised that you found me.” She drawled softly as Gerard untied the ribbon with shaking hands. “I would ask you how you did it, but I suppose it doesn’t matter either way. You’re not going to get your precious human back.”

Gerard ignored the succubus as he opened the parcel, lifting the lid with a growing feeling of dread. He unfolded the tissue paper inside, trying to brace himself for what he would find and yet when he saw the jack o’ lantern grinning up at him he could hold back his anger no longer. 

“You witch…” He whispered softly, staring for a long time at the tattoo before suddenly turning and lunging at Ava. “You witch! I’ll kill you!” 

“Oh will you?” Ava snarled, dropping her wine glass but easily seizing Gerard’s wrists before he could touch her. “Kill me, just like you killed Eicca!?”

“Eicca took his own life!” Gerard growled, wrestling his hands out of Ava’s grip but she was just as strong as he was. He managed to catch her with a few punches but she didn’t seem to even notice them. 

“You drove him to it!” Ava screamed, grabbing Gerard by his arms and easily spinning round to slam him into the wall. “He never would have died if you hadn’t hurt him!”

“I left him after _two months_ , it’s not my problem that he became too attached.” Gerard scoffed, deliberately trying to hurt Ava with his words whilst he struggled to get out of her grip. Mikey had rushed over by then, but he didn’t make a move to pull Ava away just yet, knowing that this was one fight Gerard wanted to handle alone. 

“You bastard.” Ava whispered, her voice low and dark. She suddenly reached out with one hand, gripping Gerard by the throat and squeezing tight. “You will never admit that it was your fault.” 

“Because… it won’t make… any difference… if I did.” Gerard snarled between ragged gasps for air. “You should… have died with… him.” Gerard reached up and gripped Ava’s hand around his throat, digging his nails into her skin and slowly prising her hand away with a supreme amount of strength. 

“I’m going to finish this. Tonight.” Gerard snarled, panting softly but otherwise unharmed. Now that he had got a hand on his anger somewhat he was able to focus his strength and start to overpower Ava. “I’m going to kill you.” 

“Not if I kill you first.” Ava whispered darkly, her eyes starting to swirl black and almost in sympathy Gerard’s eyes too started to fill with darkness. 

“Mikey… Go and find Frank.” Gerard whispered, starting to tremble as he felt his strength and his anger consume him. His pupils expanded until they had swallowed up not only his irises but also the whites of his eyes as well until there was nothing but all consuming blackness. Ava too had lost all colour to her eyes, nothing but black pools left to match Gerard’s. 

“It’s too late, you cannot save him.” She laughed coldly, her body seeming to vibrate with the amount of power leaking through her. She was relinquishing her human side entirely, letting the monster in her take over like it never had before. 

“Do as I say Mikey.” Gerard demanded in a firm, cool tone. He had let himself go to the monster in him enough times to know how to control it, and whilst Ava’s black eyes shone with the energy and recklessness of a new born demon, Gerard’s shone with the cool experience of a devil.

Mikey hesitated for a long moment, looking between Ava and Gerard, locked in an intense staring match. He knew that as soon as he left the room the next time he entered one of them would be dead, and whilst he knew Gerard should easily be able to overpower Ava he wasn’t convinced that would be the case. 

“Are you sure-”

“Just _do it_ Mikey!” Gerard barked impatiently, turning to glare at his brother with his black eyes for a short moment, it only taking a second before Mikey was bolting out of the room and up the stairs to look for the human. 

As soon as Mikey had gone Gerard turned back to Ava, the two of them holding their gazes for a long moment before finally letting one another go and then lunging back towards each other again with screams of anger.

As Mikey ran up the stairs to find Frank he could hear the noise of shouting and crashing objects in the kitchen, but he ignored it. Whatever was happening, if he returned without Frank then Gerard wouldn’t forgive him, and it seemed that Frank was possibly the most at risk of losing his life out of all of them. 

Back in the kitchen Gerard had managed to grab Ava by her hair, wrapping the long tresses around his fist and using the grip to send her head crashing into the stove. Ava screamed in pain and arched her back, using all of her strength to throw Gerard off. Once she had managed to lift her body half way she wrapped her leg around Gerard’s, knocking him off balance as she shoved backwards, the two of them tumbling to the floor. 

Ava flipped over and slammed Gerard’s head down against the floor, blood pouring down the side of her face from a wound in her own head. She could barely even feel it, her adrenaline and anger mingling together to numb the wounds. 

Gerard growled in anger as Ava slammed his head down, his hands coming up to seize her by the shoulders. The two demons rolled across the kitchen floor, punching and scrabbling at each other in a rage fuelled brawl. It was pathetic really, Gerard knew it was. He hadn’t come here to roll around on the floor, fighting like school children; he intended to kill Ava and he knew he had to work harder if he was going to really over power her.

Gripping Ava by her shoulders Gerard rolled over one more time until he was on top of the succubus and then used all of his strength to pin her down. Ava snarled and wriggled in his grasp like a snake, but this time Gerard wasn’t going to let her go. 

Gerard looked around the kitchen quickly before seizing Ava by the shirt and yanking her to her feet as he sprung up himself. Ava struggled to wrestle out of Gerard’s grip but even she wasn’t strong enough now Gerard had found his control and he pulled the woman across the kitchen until he could reach the large butchers knife she had hanging on the wall. 

“You can’t kill me Gerard.” Ava laughed hoarsely, out of breath from the wrestling. “I have too much information for you. I could tell you the secrets of our kind. What’s the point of you saving Frank when one day he’s just going to die anyway? I am the only one who knows how to make him one of us.”

“Save it.” Gerard scoffed, grabbing the knife and turning to slam Ava down onto the large, wooden table. Everything on it went crashing to the floor, wine spilling across the kitchen tiles as Gerard climbed up onto the table on top of Ava and held her down with one hand in her hair, the other brandishing the knife above her. 

“You really think you’ll be able to live without him when he dies?” Ava asked breathlessly, still laughing. “Look at all you’re doing to save him. He will _die_ Gerard, if not from me… then from disease, or old age, or some terrible accident. He’s a _human_.” 

“I don’t care.” Gerard snapped, slamming the handle of the knife against the side of Ava’s face. “I don’t want to save him from being human. I want to save him from _you_. And after I kill you that’s exactly what I do.”

“You won’t kill me.” Ava whispered confidently, not even trying to get out from beneath Gerard anymore as she grinned darkly up at him. “I know you don’t have it in you. I’ve watched you for centuries, you’re not that brutal.”

“Honey, you couldn’t be more wrong.” Gerard laughed hollowly, pressing the blade of the large, flat knife against Ava’s throat. “And you know something?” Gerard leant forward then, whispering into Ava’s ear like a lover. “Everything you’ve done to try and hurt me… all of this, with Frank… It doesn’t change the simple fact that Eicca died and _you_ were the one who couldn’t save him.” 

“Don’t pin his death on me!” Ava suddenly snapped, trying to jolt up then but she couldn’t get past the blade to her throat. “You killed him!”

“No, I broke his heart.” Gerard smirked, knowing exactly how to hurt Ava most. “But you, his darling sister who he loved so much, couldn’t even soothe him. You were the one who failed him, and I doubt very much you’re going to get the chance to apologise to him when you’re in hell.” 

From upstairs Mikey clearly heard Ava’s scream of anger, but he had no time to wonder what had pissed her off before the scream was cut off and all that was left was silence. 

Mikey sat still for a moment, listening intently to try and tell what was going on. His heart was racing, and he hoped that what he had heard meant that Gerard had succeeded but he couldn’t be sure. Eventually he heard footsteps climbing up the stairs and he turned to brace himself in case it was Ava, but when he door opened he sighed with relief to see Gerard. 

“Gee…”

“Is he okay?” Gerard looked as calm and composed as if Ava had never existed. The only hint of worry on his face was caused by his concern for Frank but he masked it easily, striding across the pink carpet to kneel at Mikey’s side. 

Frank was lying in the same position he had been all morning, eyes open and mouth moving slowly as he mumbled under his breath. His words were unintelligible, if they were even words at all. 

“We need to get him out of here. I don’t think he can even tell that I’m here.” Mikey sighed, gently laying his hand on Frank’s forehead and feeling the cool sweat that coated his skin. “I’ve tried to move him, but whenever I touch him he chokes.”

“Frank…” Gerard groaned, tenderly touching the young man’s forehead and then cheek before he looked with pained eyes at the missing tattoo on his back. He wasn’t sure how to move Frank without hurting him, but with Mikey’s help he was able to lift Frank off the floor and roll him over without his back touching the carpet. 

At first Frank gasped and seemed to suffocate on the air, but Gerard touched a hand to his jaw and whispered soothing words to him. Begging him to just breathe and be calm.

“It’s me Frank, its Gerard. Please, trust me. It’s okay, I’m going to take you home.” Gerard gazed intently into Frank’s eyes, his own eyes starting to return to their normal colour as Frank stared blindly up at him. For a moment Gerard wasn’t sure if Frank was even alive anymore, but then slowly… slowly, the mechanic blinked and inhaled sharply and deeply. 

“Let’s get him downstairs.” Gerard urged, he and Mikey carrying Frank together. 

Frank was only half aware of what was going on. His heart felt like it was pounding painfully in his chest but in fact it was slower than ever. His whole body ached and he kept forgetting to inhale, whenever he looked up at who was carrying him he saw Eicca, his soft curls falling forward against his face. Frank tried to whisper his name, but he couldn’t form any words. 

As they walked through the hall Mikey noticed something red bleeding under the kitchen door and out into the hallway. He wrinkled his nose up, but didn’t ask what Gerard had done to Ava. He was certain that he didn’t want to know.

When the brothers reached their car Mikey got into the front to drive, but Gerard climbed into the backseat to be with Frank, resting his head in his lap. He picked up a bottle of brandy from beneath the passenger seat, brought along on Mikey’s advice that one of them was probably going to be in shock if any of them survived. 

“To your place Gee? Or the hospital?” Mikey asked, not sure what risks Gerard wanted to take, both in Frank’s case and in their own. 

“To mine.” Gerard said confidently, unscrewing the top on the brandy and gently supporting Frank’s head up as he poured the dark liquid past Frank’s lips. 

“He’s in a bad way.” Mikey warned his brother, driving as fast as he dared but not as recklessly as Gerard. “He needs a doctor –”

“He needs _me_.” Gerard snapped angrily, looking up for just a second before turning his attention back to Frank. “He’ll be fine. Just drive.” He sighed, gently stroking Frank’s cheek as he fed him a little more brandy. 

Frank stirred slightly as they alcohol warmed his throat, his vision swimming as he blinked slowly. He looked up at Gerard looking down on him and sighed softly, feeling tears start to drip down his cheeks. Gerard’s thumb wiped the moisture away, caressing his cheek so tenderly that he only cried even more. 

“It’s okay Frankie… I’m going to save you.” The face above him smiled warmly, the dark eyes beautiful and kind. Frank was enticed by the cupid bow lips, he wanted to kiss them. He wanted to feel them before he lost his chance… wanted to run his fingers through the soft curls of black hair. 

“You won’t… Won’t let me die…” He whispered hoarsely, his voice wavering through his tears. “You won’t let me… Will you Eicca?” 

“Of course not.” Gerard whispered back, though his own eyes stung with tears and he felt a strange sense of fear wash over him when he heard Frank use Eicca’s name. There was recognition starting to show in Frank’s honey eyes, but Gerard got the feeling it was not his face Frank was seeing.


	14. Funeral suit

Mikey smiled as he slowly straightened out Gerard’s tie for him, smoothing his hands down his shirt and making sure it was perfect. He then brushed his fingers through Gerard’s hair, teasing the locks into something a bit more stylish. Gerard himself just stood and allowed him to fuss over him, saying and doing nothing.

“You look really handsome Gee.” Mikey smiled warmly, but it didn’t seem to make Gerard feel any better. 

“I hate this suit.” Was all he whispered in response, his whole body rigid. “It’s a funeral suit.” 

Mikey sighed sadly and bowed his head for a moment. He considered his words carefully, knowing that Gerard was so sensitive that he was likely to snap easily. In the end Mikey just forced a smile and looked up at his brother, tiptoeing up to gently press a chaste kiss to his lips. 

“Well… I’m sure Frank would appreciate it all the same.” He whispered, squeezing Gerard’s hands before stepping away and letting Gerard walk away to double check his appearance in a mirror. Mikey felt a sudden wave of sadness but he pushed it down, forcing a smile instead and taking a deep breath to relax.

He had lived for centuries, and hundreds of years of experience were telling him that in the end, everything would work out, no matter how the present day went.

 

Frank’s black suit looked much like the one Gerard was wearing, though he couldn’t know it. The tie was perfectly straight and his hair was brushed neatly and perfectly styled with more care and attention than Frank had ever given it. He looked almost peaceful, healthier than ever though his pale skin caused the pink patches where his tattoos had used to be to stand out with an almost vulgar intensity. 

Corey was with Frank, and had been all morning. He hadn’t said much, just kept quiet as he sat and watched his friend. There was so much he wanted to ask Frank about where he had been and what had happened to him. He kept staring at the missing tattoos not covered by the suit, wondering what had happened to them and knowing he would never be able to find out. He couldn’t ask Frank… It was clear that the man wasn’t going to talk about it. 

“You look great.” Corey finally spoke up, his voice gruff in the quiet room. He had suffered many sleepless nights waiting to hear from Frank after receiving a phone call from a stranger informing him that Frank was in rehab and would be home once he felt ready, and he was still feeling exhausted even now. 

Corey hadn’t believed the stranger when he called, and not just because he found it hard to believe that Frank would take himself off to rehab in the state Corey had last seen him in. The stranger himself had seemed to have an untrustworthy voice; he had sounded too stressed and irritated to be the healthcare professional he claimed to be. Corey had been certain straight away that the man had been calling just to lie to him and make sure he stopped looking for Frank, but he hadn’t known what to do about it.

As it was he no longer had to worry about the stranger or whether he had told him the truth or not. Frank was back now, and though it left Corey with just as many unanswered questions he could at least relax a little more.  
“Frank…” Corey whispered, waiting for a long while before Frank finally turned away from the mirror he was staring into and met Corey’s gaze. “You don’t have to keep worrying so much ya know… Daryl will take you back.” 

Frank gazed at Corey with dull eyes, standing still until Corey felt uncomfortable from the tension. Frank didn’t seem to be alive anymore, and Corey just knew that something terrible had happened to him but he was too afraid to ask Frank outright what it was. Frank himself was running with the rehab story, and pointedly ignored any stares to his missing tattoos. 

“All he wanted was for you to get clean.” Corey continued when Frank didn’t say anything. “And if you’ve been to rehab and you’re all fine now then… then that’s great.” Corey forced the biggest smile he could muster, and was rewarded for it when Frank gave him a tiny smile in response. 

“Thanks Corey.” He whispered, sighing and turning back to the mirror and straightening his tie once again before exhaling long and slowly. “I’ll be fine.” He agreed, holding his own gaze in the mirror as if he needed to convince himself as much as he needed to convince Corey. 

 

Daryl watched from his office window as Corey and Frank arrived at the garage. He was feeling strangely nervous, as if everything important to him was staked on the meeting to come. Frank was important to him, but he was just an employee; Daryl shouldn’t have to feel so responsible for him, and yet he couldn’t help it. Frank was like a son to him, he desperately wanted him to be better.

Daryl had asked Corey to never mention to Frank how worried they had been about him. He felt embarrassed that they had thought he had killed himself now he knew he had been in rehab all along. He was certain it would upset Frank if he knew how little faith they had had in him, and Daryl would feel so ashamed if Frank was ever to know. 

Corey had spent a lot of time with Frank since he had returned home one week ago, but Daryl hadn’t heard whether Frank was okay or not now. He supposed that could be why he was so nervous. He wanted to trust that Frank could return to work and never show up drunk again, but somehow it felt like there was more than just drink to worry about now… 

“Frank.” Daryl jumped to his feet when the door to his office opened, Corey leading the young man inside. “It’s good to see you.” The smile Daryl gave was warm and genuine and he felt some relief wash over him to see Frank properly after so many weeks. 

“Hi Daryl.” Frank forced a smile and stiffly offered his hand for Daryl to shake. He was trying to behave correctly… Wear the nice suit and shake hands as if it were a job interview, but he still flinched when Daryl took his hand and his fingers closed over his missing tattoos for a moment. 

Noticing the flinch Daryl quickly looked down to see what he had done wrong and his eyes caught the puckered, pink flesh where the skin was just starting to heal. He released Frank’s hand quickly, staring with wide eyes even as Frank moved to sit down in one of the spare chairs. 

“What happened to you?” Daryl asked through a gasp, unable to stop himself. 

Corey blushed from where he was stood behind Frank’s shoulder but didn’t say anything. He had been planning to leave the office straight away and give Frank and Daryl some privacy but now he couldn’t bring himself to, desperate to know what had happened to Frank too. 

“Nothing.” Frank’s voice was strained and tight, it all too clear he didn’t want to talk about his tattoos. The subject was obviously a sore one which was hardly a surprise, Corey didn’t think there could be any nice reasons for his missing tattoos. 

“But you…” Daryl trailed off, looking from Frank’s hands to his neck where he could see more raw flesh trying to heal. He closed his mouth and swallowed thickly, his heart racing as he simply nodded and moved to sit down behind his desk. It was burning him not knowing what had happened to his youngest mechanic, but it seemed unfair to ask again when Frank clearly wasn’t going to talk about it. 

Frank kept his eyes fixed on Daryl’s desk, feeling tense and shaken. He just wanted to go back to work. When he had been trapped in Ava’s home in the rare moments he was able to think straight he would think about the garage and Corey and Daryl… About how he just wanted to get back to a normal life. A life he would never take for granted or waste on drink ever again. He couldn’t bear to even think about what had happened to him, let alone talk about it, and he just wanted to be told he was okay and that he could come back to work at last. 

“Well uh… It’s good to see you again Frank.” Daryl finally managed to choke out, it taking him a long moment to compose and act as though he hadn’t even noticed Frank’s wounds. “How are you?”

“I’m fine.” Frank nodded, his voice more relaxed. He had been expecting the question and had rehearsed his answer, making sure he could say it without sounding like he was lying. He _was_ fine… Or at least, he was as fine as he could expect to be. He was getting better, and he knew that once his life was back to normal he really would be okay. 

“So, you’ve been to rehab?” Daryl asked, trying not to sound sceptical. He had to admit Frank did look like he had quit the drink, he was obviously sober and didn’t have the glossy film over his eyes which he always had when he had been drinking. He certainly didn’t look like he was fine though. 

“Uhuh.” Frank nodded at Daryl’s question, fidgeting in his seat slightly as he started to pick at his shirt sleeve without noticing. “I’m a lot better now. I haven’t had a drink in weeks.” This time Frank did sound genuine, and he hoped Daryl could see in his eyes how honest he was being. 

“I promise you Daryl, I won’t touch another drink ever again.” Frank was convinced that if it hadn’t been for the drink he wouldn’t have been tempted to follow Ava in the first place. He knew that Gerard hadn’t helped matters, but if he hadn’t been in such a fragile state to begin with he might have had the sense to throw Ava out of his apartment the second she had entered it. He had promised himself now he would never put himself in that state again. 

“Well, it’s not for me to tell you to never drink again.” Daryl blushed, taken aback by the conviction in Frank’s voice. He didn’t want to believe him too easily and be let down again, but somehow he just knew that this time Frank really did mean what he was saying. 

“I don’t need you to tell me.” Frank smiled, some of his old spark returning to his eyes for just a second. “ _I’m_ telling you, I won’t touch alcohol again Daryl. I’m sick of the stuff.” Frank even chuckled then and Daryl couldn’t stop himself from smiling back.

“Well that’s good to hear Frank.” He grinned, relief starting to trickle through him as Corey smiled from his spot by the door. “You know we’ve all really missed you around here. As long as you mean what you say, we’d all love for you to start work again.”

“That means a lot to me.” Frank smiled, starting to feel relieved himself and for the first time since he left Ava’s house he began to relax. “I can’t wait to get back to work… Ever since I left things have just been crazy. I need to get back into normality.”

“Well, how about you start on Monday then?” Daryl smiled, eager for Frank to get back to work too. “Give you the weekend to prepare.” 

“Monday would be great.” Frank nodded without hesitation, grinning as he got to his feet. “Thank you Daryl, I promise I won’t let you down.”

“I know you won’t.” Daryl smiled, resting his hand on Frank’s shoulder for a moment, not wanting to touch his hands again. He looked at his neck for a moment and then met Frank’s gaze, keeping his own expression soft as he sighed. “And you’re sure you’re okay?” He asked quietly, making Frank blush though he nodded.

“I am… Really.” He whispered, looking over his shoulder at Corey for a second before looking back to Daryl. “I’ve had a tough time, I know that’s obvious. But I’m okay now, you don’t have to worry about me anymore. Either of you.” Frank turned to Corey again, smiling as warmly as he could.  
“I guess you’re not going to tell me the truth about where you’ve been?” Daryl asked quietly, not prepared to pretend that he believed Frank like Corey was. “About what happened to you?”

Frank tensed and hesitated, seeming to choke on his words for a second before he managed to compose and force a tight smile. 

“Not a chance.” He grinned, some of his playful old self showing through and that was enough for Daryl to relax and let him go without questioning him again.

 

A month previously Frank had woken up for the first time since leaving Ava’s home. 

Frank had woken up in a soft, warm bed. He had been covered in a plush, white duvet and surrounded by all the pillows a person could ever want for. It had been the middle of the afternoon, but the room was dark due to the heavy rain falling outside the window. The heatwave had finally broken and storms had taken its place for the past three days; not that Frank had been awake to see it.

Gerard had called the garage where Frank worked to inform them that he was at rehab from the moment he had got him home. He knew that Frank’s two months were up, and that he was supposed to be starting work again. Fearful that someone from the garage would try looking for Frank when he didn’t show up he had made sure that an alibi was provided, giving Frank all the time he needed to heal.

For a while Gerard hadn’t known whether to expect Frank to live or die. He had sat by his bedside for the three days it took for him to properly wake up, tending his wounds and watching him as he drifted in and out of consciousness, only ever mumbling about Eicca whenever he stirred before collapsing again after mere seconds.

Mikey had been insistent that Frank needed a hospital, but Gerard wouldn’t budge. Frank was stronger than he seemed, he just knew it… It wasn’t even the missing tattoos that would kill him, it was simply the shock of the whole ordeal. Gerard knew that he just needed to wake up and realise he was safe for him to get better again.

For three days Gerard watched Frank, and even for Gerard, a demon who had lived for centuries, those three days seemed to last an eternity. He didn’t know if Frank would ever wake up enough to recover, and when he finally opened his eyes and looked at Gerard with real recognition it caused such a swell of relief inside the demon that he felt overwhelmed by it. 

“Frankie…” He had whispered, leaning forward but not daring to reach out or touch him. “Frank… It’s me… It’s Gerard.”

“I know.” Frank had whispered back, voice weak, rough and unused. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again…”

If Gerard had been hoping that Frank would be pleased to see him, he was to be disappointed. At first it was impossible to tell how Frank was feeling, other than uncomfortable from all the pain he was suffering. It took him three more days before he could even get out of bed and shower, and even then he had needed Gerard’s support. It became clear then that Frank didn’t want the help, and was accepting it only because he had no other choice.

For three weeks Frank stayed at Gerard’s home. He listened attentively when Mikey and Gerard told him about all they had done to find him. He sighed with relief when he heard that Ava was dead. But whenever Eicca’s name was mentioned he would shut off, tensing up and refusing to speak any more about any of it. Gerard knew it was because he still saw him, he would often see Frank staring at the corner of the room whenever he thought no one was watching him, and it frightened Gerard.

Gerard had confided in Mikey about everything but his sibling could offer little advice. Neither brother knew whether Eicca was a figment of Frank’s imagination, or whether it was possible he was a ghost or some other supernatural apparition. Until Frank was ready to talk about it, there was nothing either could do to try and come up with a solution.

As well as the Eicca problem, Frank seemed to be suffering from nightmares. Most nights he would wake up screaming, causing Gerard to fly awake too and rush to his room. Frank wouldn’t let him share his bed, or even sleep in the same room as him. He knew he was being punished for how he had treated him, but it was killing him when all he wanted to do then was help Frank.

In the end, Gerard suffered through three weeks of trying to help Frank but as soon as he was well enough to look after himself he decided to leave.

Gerard had approached Frank just as he was walking through the hallway to go out the front door, biting his lip and already knowing he wouldn’t be able to make Frank stay. 

“Frank…” He had whispered, keeping his voice soft as he reached out to touch Frank’s palm, making him turn around. “Please don’t go…”

“I have to.” Frank had sighed, his eyes as dead and hopeless as they had been from the moment he had woken up. “I need to get out of here. I need to get back to normality, and hanging around with a couple of demons isn’t going to help me.” 

“Then at least say you’re happy for me to come and see you.” Gerard pleaded, letting his emotions show through though it was so unlike him, desperate to make Frank stay. Gerard had revealed so much of himself in saving him, he wasn’t sure how he would cope if he still lost him. 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Frank had scoffed, shaking his head and pulling away from Gerard’s touch. “You made it clear before what I meant to you.”

“No Frank, I made it clear what you mean to me when I saved your life.” Gerard had growled, unable to hide his frustration. “I made it clear what you mean to me when I sliced Ava’s head off her shoulders!”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Frank had snapped back, feeling sick at the thought of his torturer beheaded. “I don’t want to hear things like that! I don’t want to be around you anymore! I want to go _home_ , I want to just forget everything – including you!”

“Don’t say that.” Gerard had felt like he was suffocating then, his chest tight. He had reached out and grabbed Frank’s wrist, pulling him tight to his body and using his strength to make sure Frank couldn’t wriggle away. “Frank, I saved you because I love you.”

It had been the first time Gerard had said those words to anyone but Mikey, and the first time he had said them to Frank. The mechanic had had the grace to look shocked for a moment, and had even allowed himself to be pulled into a soft but desperate kiss.

For a moment Frank had lost himself, forgotten everything but Gerard and how amazing it felt to kiss him. He had almost forgotten how intoxicating Gerard was, how easily he could seduce and consume him. But then now he knew the reason why, he knew it wasn’t because of some amazing love connection between them… It was simply because Gerard was an incubus, and Frank knew now he was a fool for ever falling for him.

But God… How could he not fall for him? The second their lips connected he was overwhelmed by his feelings for Gerard, he wanted to sob and just fall against him; he wanted to be held and taken care of, he wanted to be saved…

Frank had kissed Gerard back before he could even realise he was doing it. And by the time he did realise he was tugging at Gerard’s hair, panting into his mouth and trying to get his legs around his waist. It felt like he hadn’t felt lust in years, and in that moment he was crazy with it; but then Gerard had pushed him against the wall in his own lust fuelled haste and Frank had shouted in pain.

“Fuck – Stop!” The burning sensation from where Frank’s Jack o’ lantern had been leant the mechanic strength and he managed to launch Gerard off him with force. Gerard had stumbled backwards, his face shocked but now that Frank had stopped the kiss he had become angry. 

“Just leave me alone! I don’t want to see you ever again, just _leave me alone!_ ” 

Gerard had stood, staring in horror as Frank stormed out of the house then, slamming the door shut behind him. Gerard had considered following him and trying to persuade him to stay, but he already knew it was useless. Instead he had simply sunk down to the floor, his lips tingling where he had kissed Frank and his heart aching in his chest.

 

Frank gazed blankly at his TV screen as he quietly smoked a cigarette. A game show was playing but he wasn’t paying attention to it. He had his TV on constantly though, and only on things he could be certain wouldn’t trigger his hallucinations or nightmares. The sounds of people talking on the screen made him feel less lonely, which in turn made him feel less afraid, though he was still unable to relax fully when he was alone in his apartment.

Frank had thought that coming home would make him feel better, that he would be able to return to normality. He had been naïve to believe such a thing. He had gone through too much to simply sink back into normal life, and even though he was working at the garage again and seeing Corey quite often he was still struggling whenever he was by himself.

Gerard had been out of his life for only two weeks, but it felt like longer. Frank often thought about him, as much as he tried not to. He wondered if he was okay, wondered if he had meant it when he said he loved him… He wondered if he would ever see him again, or if Gerard would finally do as he asked and leave him alone.

Frank still saw Eicca from time to time, but he was working hard to ignore the apparition. Seeing Eicca frightened him because he seemed so real, but the nightmares frightened him even more. The doctor had assured him things would get better, and he was booked in to see a therapist weekly. He had also been told his tattoos would heal, but he would always have the ugly scars where the skin had been removed. 

Frank was trying… He was trying so hard to focus on the future and forget his time with Ava, but it was almost impossible. He hated being alone. He hated feeling like he was still losing mind.

A sudden knock to the door brought Frank out of his blank state and back into the moment. He looked around in confusion for a moment, but then started to panic as he worried over who it might be. His immediate assumption was that it was Ava, even though he knew that was impossible. Then he worried it would be Eicca, and that he was just stuck in another hallucination. 

Another loud knock followed the first and Frank stumbled to his feet, quickly stubbing out his cigarette. He realised with alarming slowness that it was actually more than likely Corey at the door, and that he had no reason to be afraid. He forced himself to move, taking one step at a time and telling himself over and over that it was just Corey… That he was fine… That he would answer the door and just feel stupid for getting worked up at all.

When Frank opened the door he was holding his breath, but he exhaled quickly in surprise when he found Gerard waiting for him. 

“Oh.” Frank whispered in a whoosh of air, stepping back automatically to let the older man inside before he could even decide if he really wanted to. Gerard looked almost as surprised as Frank did and hesitated for a full second before he entered the apartment.

“What are you doing here?” Frank asked quietly, closing the door and following Gerard into the living room when the demon strode straight through. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”

“Because you don’t want to?” Gerard asked, laughing hollowly. He turned to face Frank once they were in the living room, his heart racing with nerves. Frank at least didn’t sound as angry as he had when they had last spoke, but Gerard still wouldn’t have been there then if Mikey hadn’t pushed him into it. 

Mikey had grown sick already of the depression Gerard had sunk into with Frank’s departure. He was convinced that the two men could still work things out, but looking at Frank then Gerard wasn’t so sure. The human was so obviously broken, and Gerard didn’t know if he could fix him even if Frank let him try.

“You look… Dressed up.” Frank ignored Gerard’s question and just stared at him, stood awkwardly beside the couch though neither of them sat down. “Wedding or a funeral?” 

“Neither.” Gerard sighed, biting his lip and shuffling his weight from one foot to the other. “Mikey thought… Well, _I_ thought it might be nice to…” Gerard trailed off, gesturing uselessly as he tried to think of the right words but he couldn’t come up with anything that didn’t sound ridiculous now he was facing Frank. 

“I just wanted to talk to you.” He finally sighed, meeting Frank’s gaze and holding it. “I know you’ve been through a lot, and that you have no reason to believe I have too… But I just… I did go through hell worrying about you and trying to save you –”

“Gerard, I really don’t want to talk about this.” Frank sighed, running a hand through his hair and sinking down to sit on the sofa when his strength failed him. “I’ve already heard as much as I can bear.”

“I’m sorry.” Gerard whispered, slowly sitting down beside Frank, angling his body to face him. “I am, really. I… I just don’t know what to say to you to…” Gerard hesitated again, struggling hard. Mikey had told him he needed to show his emotions and just be honest with Frank if he had any chance of winning him back, but emotions were not Gerard’s strong point. 

“I want to be with you Frank.” He finally whispered, lowering his gaze for a moment before he remembered he needed to show he was open and he met Frank’s eyes again. “I want a relationship. A real, human relationship.” 

Frank sighed and ran a hand through his hair again, not knowing what to say or even how to feel. He was so messed up, so destroyed by all that had happened and so unsure whether he still blamed Gerard or not. He found the demon incredibly attractive, of course he did, and he believed that he loved him… But then he wasn’t so sure if he really loved him or if he just thought he did because of what he was. 

“Gerard…” Frank thought hard for a moment, but in the end he knew he had no answer. “Gee… I don’t know I…” Frank sighed again, groaned quietly and blurted out the only thing he could think of to say. “I’ve been diagnosed with PTSD.” 

Gerard rose his eyebrows in surprise, not expecting Frank to come out with anything like that though he supposed he shouldn’t be shocked about it. Frank himself seemed to suddenly deflate, as if he was a balloon losing all of its air. The tension in his body started to dissolve and he sank into the cushions behind him, tears in his eyes though it was clear a huge weight had been lifted off him. It was the first time he had said it out loud, and it felt good to finally have someone to tell.

“Post-traumatic stress disorder.” He whispered, certain that Gerard didn’t need the condition clarifying but needing to do it anyway. “The reason I see Eicca… It’s a hallucination. He’s not real and… and I see him all the time, whenever I get panicked or stressed out; and the nightmares too… It’s all because of this condition.”

“I know about it.” Gerard nodded, having seen all varieties of people with the disorder through his life span. During the aftermath of the Second World War it had seemed that hundreds of men he encountered were suffering from it, he didn’t need Frank to clarify it for him.

“I could help you, you know.” He whispered softly, daring to reach out and touch Frank’s hand. His heart began to race when Frank didn’t pull away and he moved a little closer to him. “I’ve been alive long enough, and seen enough people with PTSD to know how it affects you. Maybe it would be good for someone to understand.” 

Frank scoffed at that, knowing Gerard was just desperately trying to make him feel like he needed him. But at the same time his eyes were soft because… He did need him. And as irritating as it was Gerard was right, it felt good to know that he understood what he was going through.

“I’m going to go to therapy every week.” He whispered, slowly running his palm against Gerard’s and then carefully lacing their fingers. “I thought I’d get my life back on track without you but… things are fucked up even when you’re not around.” 

Gerard laughed sadly at that, not sure if that meant Frank wanted him around or not. He kept silent for a while, waiting to see if Frank would say anything more but the mechanic wasn’t even looking at him anymore. 

“Frank… Can’t we just… start again?” 

Frank looked at Gerard with a slow, weak smile, his eyes still full of tears. It seemed laughable that Gerard could even ask a question like that, and yet he was being so clearly genuine that it broke Frank’s heart. He remembered when they had been seeing each other before everything, and Gerard would seem so emotionless… Frank had always hoped, had known deep down, that Gerard wasn’t just a statue; but now he was seeing his emotions come through it was both unnerving and warming. 

“Do you really think we can start again? Just like nothing even happened?” He whispered. 

“Probably not.” Gerard shrugged, though he smiled then and gently pulled Frank closer to him. “But all I’m asking for is a chance Frank. Just one date, that’s all. Not a lifetime, not even a relationship right now, just one little date.” Gerard leant towards Frank, letting his scent wash over him as he gazed at him with imploring eyes. “One date Frankie…” 

Frank sighed, looking at Gerard’s lips for a second and feeling some of the pain inside him disappear. He wanted to kiss him then, and it felt amazing to desire something like that; even if it was with a demon… 

“Just… One date?” He confirmed quietly, smiling weakly when Gerard nodded and he sighed. “Is tonight good for you?” He asked, grinning slowly when Gerard started to laugh and nod. 

“Tonight would be perfect.” He whispered, leaning in to Frank and sealing the deal with a soft, chaste kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note guys!  
> First and foremost, I want to say a massive, massive thank you to all of you for reading, commenting and kudos-ing. It's these things that keep me coming back to the writing even when it feels like more stress than it's worth.  
> Secondly, me being me and a total and utter glutton for punishment... I know I said I wasn't going to be doing any more chaptered fics now because of the strains on my time. The problem now is I wasn't too sure I liked this chapter, I just needed it to tie up some loose ends but just recently a huge bout of inspiration struck me and this story no longer feels finished.  
> This is still the final chapter, but suddenly I feel this desperate urge to write a sequel. I have a story line for it all set in my head, but I already know the chapters will be up just as slow as these were and maybe even slower once the rush to Christmas starts since I work in a bar. That being said though, if any of you would like/would read a sequel then please do comment letting me know and if the interest is enough then it's definitely something I want to try.  
> xo


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